LIBRARY OF CONGRESS, 



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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 







HE CHRISTIAN * 

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RT, REV* ASHTON OXENDEN, D.D. 

Author of "The Pathway of Safety" ^ £ <* <* 







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Philadelphia,^ jt £ <2* Jt 

HENRY ALTEMUS 






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Copyrighted, 1896, by Henry Altemus. 



The Library 

of Congress 

washington 



HENRY ALTEMUS, MANUFACTURER, 
PHILADELPHIA. 



CONTENTS. 



PAGE 

I. Living Without God 7 

11. The Turning-point in the Christian Life . 23 
in. Christ the Life of the Soul . . . .38 

iv. Living to God 52 

v. The Great Work of Life .... 66 

vi. The Great End of Life 82 

vii. The Word of God, the Nutriment of the 

Christian Life 97 

VIII. Preaching, A Saving Ordinance in the Chris- 
tian Life 112 

ix. Prayer, The Breath of the Christian Life . 125 
x. The Lord's Day, The Holiday of the Chris- 
tian Life 141 

xi. Public Worship, The Outburst of the Chris- 
tian Life 157 

xii. The Holy Communion, The Bond of the 

Christian Life 167 

XIII. The Holy Spirit, The Seal of the Christian 

Life 181 

(5) 



6 COXTEXTS. 

xiv. The Christian Life, A Daily Progress . .192 

xv. The Christian Life, A Daily Struggle . . 206 

xvi. The Christian Life, A Life of Joy . . 220 

xvii. The Christian Life in Heaven . . . 232 



THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

CHAPTER I. 

LIVING WITHOUT GOD. 

How can I live well ? and how can 
I die well ? are two of the most im- 
portant inquiries we can make. I wish 
every one of my readers was really anxious 
to have them answered. I wish that every 
one now taking the Bible in hand felt a real 
earnest desire to know the way of life, and 
to walk in it. 

Blessed Spirit of God, give us this anxiety. 
Awaken in us this longing. Give us now 
thirsting souls, which only Thy truth can 
satisfy. Bless the writer of this volume. 
Enable him to speak for Thee. And send 
none away from the perusal of this book 
empty and unfed. 

" The Christian Life " is a subject of much 
importance; and I do trust that it may 
interest you and do you much good. 

" The Christian Life " — this is my subject ; 

(7) 



8 THE CHRISTIAX LIFE. 

and my first chapter will be on Living with- 
out God. 

St. Paul speaks in his Epistle to the 
Ephesians of those who have not yet entered 
on the Christian Life, and have therefore 
11 no hope, and are without God in the world." 

Who are these ? There were many in 
his day, and there are many now, living 
just as he describes, without hope and 
without God. 

The Gospel had only reached Ephesus 
about ten years before these words were 
written. Even these very Christians whom 
he addresses were, a short time before, in 
all the misery and darkness of heathenism. 
There was no one to show them the way of 
salvation. No one in that famous city knew 
that there was a Saviour, or could give any 
tidings of that other world to which they 
were all hastening. But now the light from 
above had shone upon them : the " Sun of 
Righteousness " had risen upon them with 
" healing in his wings." 

That was the happiest day that ever 
dawned upon Ephesus, when Three Stran- 
gers made their appearance in its streets, 
proclaiming the glorious news of salvation. 



LIVING WITHOUT GOD. 9 

These were Paul, and his two friends Aquila 
and Priscilla — Paul the Preacher, and Aquila 
and Priscilla his helpers. 

The Apostle's preaching was greatly blest 
in that city, and numbers were gathered 
into the fold of Christ. This then was the 
little Christian Church, or company of Be- 
lievers, to whom he afterwards wrote his^ 
epistle. In the chapter to which I have al- 
luded he reminds them what their state had 
once been, and what grace had done for 
them. " At that time," he says, " ye were 
without Christ, being aliens from the com- 
monwealth of Israel, and strangers from 
the covenants of promise, having no hope, 
and without God in the world." 

Now, perhaps some will say, " Thank God, 
we were never in that state." The words 
may suit those blind Ephesians ; but we, at 
all events, were never in so godless and 
hopeless a condition as this. 

But in point of fact we were in a worse 
condition. Yes, you and I were once even 
worse than they ever were. They were 
blind, it is true ; but we had eyes, and yet 
would not see. All was light around us; 
but was there not darkness, gross darkness, 



io THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

within ? They were ignorant of the way 
of life ; we knew it, but did not walk in it. 
They had never heard of a Saviour : we 
were baptized in His name. We outwardly 
belonged to Him ; but our hearts were 
closed against Him. 

Was not this the case with all of us once ? 
Is it not the case with many of us now ? 
And if the state of the ignorant heathen, 
and of the unbelieving Jew, is a sad one, 
oh, sadder still is the state of the heedless 
Christian — " having no hope, and without 
God in the world." 

Let us take these two expressions sep- 
arately ; for they are both full of meaning. 

" Having no hope ? " How is it with the 
mere nominal Christian ? Has he any hope ? 

Take the first man you meet, and ask him 
what his hope is. Perhaps he is one who 
entirely neglects God, a thoroughly irre- 
ligious man. But he does not acknowledge 
that he is altogether without hope. He will 
say, " I know I am not serving the Lord. 
My conscience often whispers to me that 
all is not right. But then I hope to be one 
day different. It must be indeed a long 



LIVING WITHOUT GOD. n 

lane that has no turning in it. Others have 
turned, and I hope I shall before I die." 
Yes, he has a hope. This is his hope — 
that he will one day come right. 

The next person you come across is not 
a right down bad man ; but he is a little 
thoughtless — rather fond of the world. He 
will say, " I have wronged no man. I have 
defrauded no man. I am no one's enemy 
except perhaps my own. Surely God will 
not be so strict as He is represented to be. 
If I do not find mercy, there will be thou- 
sands in a worse condition than myself." 
This is his hope. 

You see a third, who is upright, honest, 
regular, and in every respect well conducted. 
Not a word was ever whispered against him. 
He is a kind person, a straightforward man 
of business, a good master, or a faithful ser- 
vant. He is a church-goer too — punctual 
in his place in God's House. His knees 
are bent in prayer morning and evening. 
His Bible is read, if not every day, most 
days at least, when nothing interferes to 
prevent it. Has not this man a hope? 
Yes, certainly ; and what is it ? Why, he 
hopes that as a matter of course all must 



12 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

be right with him ; and that the gate of 
heaven will be opened to one so worthy. 

Each one of these, you see, has a kind of 
hope. And yet what is it worth ? In 
point of fact it is worth nothing. It only 
deceives. It only gives a false peace. It 
acts as a soothing lotion to the conscience. 
It is like untempered mortar, which looks 
well enough when daubed upon the wall ; 
but when the storm comes the wall will fall 
to pieces. In each of these cases which I 
have mentioned the hope of the Bible is 
wanting. Neither of them has a really 
Christian hope. 

Remember, there is such a thing as a 
false hope — a hope that will utterly fail us. 
We read in the Book of Job, that " the hypo- 
crite's hope shall perish ;" his " trust shall be 
a spider's web." And suppose a man were 
to trust to a mere spider's web — suppose a 
drowning man were to cling to it — would 
he not be sure to perish ? Then, just as 
surely will those be lost who lean upon such 
broken reeds as I have described. 

But, thank God, there is a hope, better, 
stronger, and more true than these — a hope 
which the Apostle speaks of as " sure and 



LIVING WITHOUT GOD. 13 

steadfast/' like the firmly grounded anchor 
to which the ship is moored, and then is 
able to defy the storm. 

The Christian's hope is certain e Those 
are blessed words in our Burial Service — 
blessed words, when read over the grave 
of a true Believer, of one who has really 
died in the Lord — " We therefore commit 
his body to the ground, earth to earth, ashes 
to ashes, dust to dust, in sure and certain 
hope of the resurrection to eternal life, 
through our Lord Jesus Christ." 

Yes, the Christian's hope is certain ; for 
it rests, not on what he himself has done, 
or upon the promise of a fellow-worm, but 
upon what Christ has done for him, and 
on the unchangeable word and promise of 
his God. 

You know, I dare say, that in the very 
centre of the city of London stands the 
great Cathedral of St. Paul's. The last time 
I passed by it, a few weeks ago, I saw num- 
bers of people in the street with their eyes 
directed towards something high up on the 
steeple. I stopped, and looked also ; and 
there, far aloft, almost out of sight, could be 
seen a man working in a kind of cradle. It 



14 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE, 

seemed as though he was in the utmost 
peril ; but in fact he was secure. It made 
one giddy to watch him ; but he was quite 
safe. There was a strong rope to which he 
was slung, which passed upwards, and en- 
tered through a trap-door above him ; and 
this rope was fastened to a stout beam with- 
in. The wind might whistle around him, 
but he had nothing to fear. He could look 
upon the dizzy crowd below, but he felt no 
alarm ; he was safe. 

What a picture of the Christian ! In 
the hour of his greatest weakness, he looks 
up to heaven and feels that all is secure. 
There is his Father, seated on His eternal 
throne ! There is his Saviour — no longer a 
suffering, dying Saviour, but a living Saviour, 
an Almighty Saviour — who has paid the 
debt, and now rejoices to bless His saved 
ones. There is his anchor, firmly grounded. 
There is his hope, firmly fixed, as the Apos- 
tle says, " within the veil." And if he clings 
to this, nothing can ever harm him. Satan 
may tempt and harass him ; but none can 
pluck him out of his Father's hands. 
Trials may come; sickness may come; 
death may come : but " underneath are the 



LIVING WITHOUT GOD, 15 

everlasting arms," bearing him up. Who 
can move him from his strong, firm hold ? 
" Who shall lay anything to the charge of 
God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who 
is he that condemneth ? It is Christ that 
died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is 
even at the right hand of God, who maketh 
intercession for us." 

Ah, but there are thousands in Christian 
England — numbers whom you yourself 
know — of whom it may be said, They have 
no hope. 

But now let us look at the other expres- 
sion, " without God in the world." There 
are very many, who are living in God's 
world, but seem to forget that it is His world, 
and that He is the great Lord of it. 

God is not in their thoughts, in their 
plans, in their homes, or in their hearts. 

He is not in their Thoughts. They rise 
in the morning ; say a short prayer, it may 
be; and then set about the business of the 
day. They eat their food ; but forget the 
hand that feeds them. The very animals 
about them put them to shame; for " The 
ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his mas- 



16 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

ter's crib ; but my people, says the Lord, do 
not consider." They receive mercies ; but 
they take them as a matter of course, never 
lifting up their hearts to Him who is the 
gracious Giver of them. They have con- 
tinual wants; but they do not apply to Him 
who is ever ready to relieve them. Hour 
after hour passes, without one look, one cry, 
one desire being raised heavenward. 

I ask, Is it not so with some who read 
this book ? Have there not been many days 
of our lives, when we have lived as if there 
was no God above us, and no Saviour near 
us ? Yes, and even the more serious of us, 
how often do we forget God ! How very 
few are those moments during the day, 
when He is foremost and uppermost in our 
thoughts ! 

Then, too, God is not in our Plans. 
We are always scheming for our happiness ; 
some in one way, and some in another. The 
merchant embarks in a speculation. He 
lays out his money in the hope of getting a 
good return for it. The farmer parcels out 
his land to the best advantage. He sows 
his fields, and expects to fill his barns. The 
servant leaves a situation in the hope of 



LIVING WITHOUT GOD, 17 

bettering herself. We determine to do this 
or that to-morrow. We lay our plans for 
weeks and months to come. 

But has God nothing to do with all these 
arrangements ? No, perhaps nothing in our 
view of the matter. We have never con- 
sulted Him. We have acted altogether 
without Him. And yet we cannot move a 
single step — we cannot succeed in a single 
instance — without His interference. 

It is true, we do succeed oftentimes appar- 
ently without His help. He gives us suc- 
cess without our seeking it. But what is 
that success worth ? It is an awful thing to 
see a godless man prospering — to see him 
grow richer and richer — to see his flocks 
and herds increasing — and yet no blessing 
with it. Better is it to have all our plans 
fail — better to have our schemes fall to the 
ground — than to prosper, but " without 
God." 

Think of this, my friend. Begin life anew. 
Rearrange your plans. " Commit thy way 
unto the Lord : trust also in Him, and He 
shall bring it to pass." It is right, quite 
right, to provide for the future. It is right 
to be " active in business." But we must also 



18 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

be " fervent in spirit, serving the Lord." 
Happy the man who takes God into part- 
nership with him ; and who desires that 
every work may be " begun, continued, and 
ended in Him." 

Again, there are some of us who must 
own that God is not in our Houses. Friends 
are welcome. Visitors are admitted. But 
He, the truest Friend, the best Visitor, is 
shut out. And yet where God is, there is 
peace — peace in that home, in that family, 
in those hearts. 

It is very painful to go into a house, and 
feel that there are comforts there : there is 
everything there that marks care, and at- 
tention, and regularity. Perhaps the mas- 
ter and mistress are kind, and civil, and 
pleasant in their manner. But there is a 
deficiency in that house. One thing is want- 
ing, and that the chiefest of all. God is 
not there. Many things are thought of, 
and many things done; but the "one 
thing needful " is neglected. Alas ! is not 
this the case with some houses and cottages 
where we often enter ? 

Hear what the Lord Himself says, " I will 
be the God of all the families of Israel, 



LIVING WITHOUT GOD. 19 

and they shall be my people." " The curse 
of the Lord is in the house of the wicked ; 
but He blesseth the habitation of the just/' 

Now, whether you are rich or poor, see 
that God is with you, dwelling with you, 
taking up His abode in the midst of you. 
And there is one thing that I would earn- 
estly press upon you, and that without de- 
lay — if you have not established Family 
Prayer in your household, do so immedi- 
ately, from this very day. A blessing will 
come with it. I know it will. For God 
has declared, " Them that honor me I will 
honor." 

But there is another place from which 
God is often, very often, shut out — from 
our hearts. 

There it is that He loves to dwell. " Thus 
saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth 
eternity, whose name is Holy, I dwell in the 
high and holy place, with him also that is 
of a contrite and humble spirit." 

The treasure of the Miser is in his heart. 
His money may be placed in the bank. 
It may be hoarded up there, or else put 
out to interest. But its hateful savor — the 
taste of it — the miserable love of it — is within 



20 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

him : his heart is full of it. And so, if our 
treasure is in heaven, if God is our God, 
and Christ our Friend, then surely we shall 
feel His presence in our hearts, comforting 
us, warming us, filling us with joy and peace 
and gladness. 

Ah, if you are one in whose heart God 
has no place, you are not happy. I know 
you cannot be. You may have friends and 
children to cheer you. You may have bread 
enough and to spare. The world may smile 
upon you. But you cannot say, " I am 
happy." You cannot lift up your heart and 
say, " Thank God, there is peace, blessed 
peace, in my soul." 

And now a word or two more before the 
chapter closes. 

Ask yourself, Does St. Paul's language 
describe me ? Is it possible that / can have 
been living hitherto " without God," and 
that if I die it will be " without hope ? " 

Think what it is to live without God — to 
feel that He is at a distance from you — that 
He is your God, and yet you have nothing 
to do with Him. Oh tremble to live another 
hour, another moment, without Him. Do 



LIVING WITHOUT GOD. 21 

not dare to begin another day without ask- 
ing Him to be with you, to guide, and direct, 
and keep, and bless you. Do not dare to 
lay your head upon your pillow another 
night, without asking Him who is the 
Keeper of Israel to be your Keeper. Say 
to yourself, " From this day I will begin a 
new life. God shall be my God. I will 
yield myself up to Him." 

And think also what it is to die without 
hope. In that lonely, solitary hour, when 
heart and flesh fail — when the world is melt- 
ing away from under us — when friends can- 
not help us, and thousands of gold and 
silver, if we had them, could give us no 
consolation — when life is ebbing fast, and 
death draws nearer, and eternity lies out- 
spread before us — then to have no hope, no 
Father's arm to support us, no Saviour to 
cling to as our refuge — who can tell the mis- 
ery of this ? Oh that it may not be so with 
you ! Oh that you may " turn to the strong- 
hold," as a " prisoner of hope ! " Oh that 
you may flee to Christ to-day, before the 
night comes, when He will be shut out 
from us for ever ! 

May the Lord Himself speak to some 



22 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

heart which He has never reached before ! 
May He send His grace into that heart! 
May He disturb you, if you are asleep ! May 
He prick your conscience, if it is dull ! May 
He never leave you till you have heartily 
entered upon that new and Christia?i Life, 
of which I shall speak to you in the next 
chapter. 



CHAPTER II. 

THE TURNING-POINT IN THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

Let me begin by saying a word or two 
about the subject which has already been 
brought before you in the last chapter — 
Living without hope, and without God in the 
world. A fearful subject ! ,And if it has 
left any impression of your heart, I am 
very thankful for it. If I spoke strongly it 
was because I felt strongly. And if I 
seemed to deal harshly with you, it was 
because I wish faithfully to tell you the 
truth ; and because, much as I desire your 
favor, I desire far more to win your soul. 

Thank God, there is a Turning-point in 
the career of many of us. Thank God, 
there is a time with many of us, when 
we turn out of the broad path of the 
world, and heartily endeavor to walk in the 
narrow way of God. Though we never see 
the tawny Ethiopian change his skin, or the 
mottled leopard his spots, blessed be God, 

(23) 



24 THE CHRISTIAX LIFE. 

we do sometimes see a change wrought 
in men's hearts — a thorough, real, vital 
change. 

This is spoken of in Scripture under 
different names. It is called a Quickening : 
God is said to quicken, or give new life 
to our souls. It is called also a Xciv birth: 
the sinner becomes so entirely altered, that 
he is as one born again. Sometimes too it 
is called Conversion: this describes the 
turning of the whole man to God — the vield- 
ing up the sinful, wayward, worldly heart to 
His service. 

This is the tiling which I am now croincr to 
speak about, and which I have called "The 
Turning-point in the Christian Life." God 
give His blessing while we dwell upon it ! 

Now, it may be asked, Were we not all 
brought into Christ's service by Baptism ? 
Were we not then introduced into God's 
family ? Did we not then make our entrance 
into the Christian Life? 

Baptism is the door into Christ's kingdom 
on earth. It is the blessed ordinance, by 
which His little ones are stamped and 
marked as the sheep of His fold. They 



TURNING-POINT IN CHRISTIAN LIFE. 25 

are brought into covenant with Him. They 
are solemnly placed under the shelter of 
His care. They are no longer like neg- 
lected shrubs in the desert, but are planted 
in the garden of the Lord. They now be- 
come " members of Christ, children of God, 
and heirs of heaven." 

But what has been the history of most of 
us since our Baptism ? How few of us, like 
St. John, have been " filled with the Holy 
Ghost, even from our mother's womb ! " 
How few of us, like him, have led an al- 
most unbroken life of holiness ! Have we 
not, like silly sheep, wandered and strayed 
from the fold ? And although, through 
God's infinite mercy, He still regards us as 
His children, yet, if we had our deserts, we 
should long ago have been disinherited and 
cut off for ever. 

Here then we see the need of conversion 
— that blessed Turning-point when a man 
begins to act for Christ, and to live for 
Christ, in the world. Baptism is the Door 
of Admission into the Christian Life ; but 
our hearts need to be converted before 
we can be said fairly to live this new 
life. By Baptism we are set, as it were, 



26 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

in the path ; but at our conversion we 
actually begin to walk in it with our faces 
Zion-wards. 

Believe me, we all need this — every one 
of us. And does not our Lord Himself say 
to us, " Except ye be converted, ye shall not 
enter into the kingdom of heaven ? " 

The Reckless, Ungodly Sinner needs it. 
He must leave the sin in which he is 
wallowing, and " cleanse himself from all 
filthiness of flesh and spirit." 

The Worldly Man needs it. The love 
of the world must die in him, and a better 
love, even the love of God, must spring up 
within him. He must declare plainly that 
he seeks a better country. 

The mere Nominal Christian needs it : for 
it is one thing to have " a name that he liv- 
eth," and quite another to give his life, his 
heart, his whole self, to God's service. 

Yes, we all need it ; for until our hearts 
are changed, we cannot love God. The 
Christian path will be all uphill to us. We 
can neither enjoy God's service here, nor be 
fitted for the happiness of heaven. 

In the Parable of the Prodigal Son a 



TURNING-POINT IN CHRIS TIAN LIFE. 27 

most touching picture is drawn — a full- 
length portrait of thousands now on earth, 
and of tens of thousands now in glory. If 
I wanted to show a sinner his complete 
wretchedness and misery, I should use that 
parable. If I wanted to touch his hard 
heart, and bring him on his knees before 
God, I should use that parable. If I wanted 
to show him that he has still a Father in 
heaven, and that that Father loves him with 
a tenderness which only a father can feel, I 
should use that parable. Again, if I wanted 
to prove to him that, bad as he is, and far 
as he has wandered, there is a return, a way 
back — that pardon is not beyond his reach — - 
that the gate of mercy is open even for 
him — I should read to him those simple 
words of Jesus. And truly from no other 
lips did sounds of mercy like those ever 
come. " Never man spake like this Man." 
Never did such loving, gracious, winning 
words drop from any mouth, as the words 
of that parable, which the youngest child 
may understand, and from which the aged 
penitent may take comfort. 

But I am not going to dwell now on the 
parable ; but merely on that one point in it, 



28 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE, 

where it is said that the son, who had left 
his father's house, just as we have left ours — 
had sought happiness afar from him, as we 
have done, and found it not — at length 
" came to himself;" reflected on his misery; 
remembered that the very servants in his 
once happy home were highly favored, 
compared with himself in his present de- 
graded state ; and at once resolved to go 
and cast himself at his father's feet. This 
was his condition, and these words beauti- 
fully describe it, " He came to himself." 
The expression is familiar to us all. 

When, for instance, any one has been 
sleeping, and you suddenly rouse him, he 
starts up, stares about him for a moment 
or two, and then you say, He is come to 
himself. 

When a person has been long ill, and his 
illness takes a favorable turn, and he begins 
to recover, you say of him that he is him- 
self again. 

When a fellow-creature loses his reason — 
when his mind fails, and the foolishness of 
a little child comes over him — when such 
an one is mercifully restored, we speak of 
that man as once more coming to himself. 



TURNING-POINT IN CHRISTIAN LIFE. 29 

And what can better describe that mo- 
ment — that happy moment — that eventful 
moment in our history — (and oh, that there 
may be just such a moment in your history !) 
when the soul which has been long asleep 
awakes, when the soul which has been long 
diseased rises up and recovers itself, when the 
soul which has been given up to madness 
feels that folly must have an end ? What, 
I say, can better describe this state, this 
Turning-point, than those few simple words, 
" He came to himself? " 

Now, if you and I have come to ourselves, 
how has it been effected ? Or, if we are 
ever to come to ourselves, how will it be ef- 
fected ? 

The heart cannot change itself, any more 
than the dry barren soil can, if let alone, 
become fertile ; or the wild crab-apple of 
its own accord bear delicious fruit. 

Neither can man change the heart of his 
fellow-man. God may use men as His in- 
struments, but they are only instruments in 
His hands. An able preacher may arrest 
attention. He may draw tears from eyes 
that never wept before. He may send his 
hearers away thoughtful. But conversion 



30 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

is beyond his power. St. Paul never of 
himself converted a single soul. St. Peter 
was not the renewer of one heart on the 
day of Pentecost. 

No, the power is God's. The work is 
His. " Of His own will begat He us with 
the word of truth." "As many as re- 
ceived Him, to them gave He power to 
become the sons of God, which were born, 
not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor 
of the will of man, but of God!' 

You come to church. Some word strikes 
you. You feel as you never before felt. 
You go away to live a new life. 

Or you are seized with a fit of illness. 
You are laid aside in your sick room. 
And in the stillness of that silent chamber 
thoughts of the past and the future come 
over you. You feel that you have not 
lived to Christ ; and you feel unfit, most 
unfit, to die. From that hour you become 
an altered person. 

Or a good book falls in your way. 
You take it up carelessly. But that book 
perhaps has an arrow in it which pierces 
your very soul. 

Or you receive a visit from a pious 



TURNING-POINT IN CHRISTIAN LIFE. 31 

friend. You asked him to your house, be- 
cause you thought his company would 
give you pleasure. But there is One who 
sent him to you for a far different purpose ; 
namely, to lead you by his words and his 
example into the blessed path of peace. 

By one or other of these means you 
have become religious. Still, it was neither 
the Sermon, nor the Illness, nor the Book, 
nor the Friend, that wrought the wondrous 
change. There was a Mighty One at work. 
It was " the Lord's doing, and it is marvel- 
lous in our eyes." 

I have said that this change is absolutely 
necessary, and that it is the work of God 
Himself. Bear these two points in mind, 
and reflect upon them, for they are most 
important. 

But there are three other points connected 
with this subject, which, though not so im- 
portant, are still deeply interesting. 

One is, Whether , the change we have 
been speaking of is sudden, or gradual. 
Some will not believe in sudden conver- 
sions, and others again take little note of 
any that are not sudden. Let us look 



32 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

into the Bible, and then judge for our- 
selves. 

Saul's change was sudden. He was 
stopped in a moment, in the very midst of 
his fearful opposition to the Saviour, and at 
once became a devoted follower of Christ. 

The Philippian jailor's conversion again 
was sudden. A deep conviction of his guilt 
flashed across his mind, and he fell down at 
the Apostle's feet an inquiring penitent, and 
an earnest believer. 

On the other hand, take the case of the 
Ethiopian Eunuch. His conversion was 
gradual. He goes to Jerusalem, and there 
probably he hears for the first time the glad 
tidings of salvation. He is led to search 
the Scriptures. He becomes an anxious in- 
quirer after the truth. Then, as he journeys 
homeward, Philip meets him by the way 
— not accidentally, but by the Lord's direc- 
tion — and under his teaching, his mind is 
further enlightened, and he is enabled to see 
and lay hold of the great gospel hope ; " and 
goes on his way rejoicing." 

Or, to mention another case of gradual 
conversion, Apollos, of whom we read in the 
eighteenth chapter of the Acts of the Apos- 



TURNING-POINT IN CHRISTIAN LIFE. 33 

ties, becomes impressed with religion, prob- 
ably in his own native city Alexandria. For 
a while he gropes his way in the dark. He 
is fervent in spirit, and anxious to embrace 
the faith of Christ. But as yet there is only 
a glimmering of light in him. Something 
brings him to Ephesus. And there he meets 
with two earnest-minded disciples ; and with 
their help he gets to know the way of 
the Lord more perfectly, and becomes at 
length a burning and shining light in the 
Church of Christ. 

And so it is now. Those, who are brought 
to God by the power of His grace, are 
brought in various ways. He is not tied 
and bound by any special rules. Some are 
called into His service as by a miracle. The 
change is sudden and striking. They pass 
rapidly from darkness to light, from sin to 
holiness. They are snatched by Almighty 
power as brands from the burning. The 
Holy Spirit at once convinces them of sin, 
and leads them to Christ ; and they forth- 
with set out on their way to heaven. 

Others receive religious impressions ; but 
they are slight. The world creeps in per- 
haps, and smothers for a while the spark 
3 



34 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

which God with His own hand has kindled. 
The fire is lighted ; but it burns slowly ; 
and perhaps it is a long while before it 
bursts into a steady flame. There is grace 
in that soul ; but it is not very marked. 
Still it is real grace, and by degrees it 
shows itself more fully. The person be- 
comes gradually more and more enlight- 
ened, more in earnest, more decided. 

So, you see, God is pleased sometimes to 
bring souls into His kingdom by a special 
act of grace — suddenly and instantaneously. 
And at other times He sees fit to carry 
on His blessed work in the soul — the very 
same work — but by a slower and more grad- 
ual process. 

Another interesting question is this — 
Does a truly changed person always 
know when, and how, the change in him 
took place ? 

Some, doubtless, can confidently point to 
the exact circumstances which first led them 
to think seriously. God's dealing with 
them was so clear ; the occasion was so 
marked ; that they have no hesitation in 
saying, il It was the sermon that I heard — it 
was that quiet time in my sick chamber — 



TURNING-POINT IN CHRISTIAN LIFE. 35 

it was those words spoken by -my friend 
— or it was when reading that verse of 
Scripture — or when kneeling down in secret 
prayer — then it was that God in His mercy 
first touched my heart, showed me to my- 
self as a sinner, and led me to the Saviour. I 
can remember it with thankfulness, as the 
sailor remembers his deliverance from ship- 
wreck." Saul could never in after years 
have doubted that that eventful journey to 
Damascus was the Turning-point in his 
career. And Manasseh could without hesi- 
tation point to Babylon, and say, " It was 
there, in the hour of my affliction, that 
God first made Himself known to me. It 
was there I learnt the misery of sin, and the 
way of deliverance from it." 

But there are hundreds and thousands 
of others, just as truly and savingly con- 
verted to God, who know not how it was, 
or when it was, that the seed of grace sprung 
up within them. All they can say is, 
" One thing I know, that whereas I was 
blind now I see." 

After all, the chief matter about which 
we need to be anxious is not the hour, or 
the place, or the manner, in which the 



36 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

change has been wrought, but the fact it- 
self. Has such a change taken place in 
me ? Am I very different from what I once 
was? 

There is one more point, which I dare 
not leave unnoticed. There is a change in 
the history of some, not for the better, but 
for the worse. There is a Turning-point, 
when they begin to go back rather than for- 
ward — when the heart, which has been once 
warm, grows cold — when the taste for God's 
word and prayer grows feeble — when temp- 
tations are listened to, which once they 
would have blushed to mention. They 
change, but like " seducers," they " wax 
worse and worse." The night grows darker 
and darker. The edge of conscience be- 
comes duller and duller. Sin is welcomed, 
and God forsaken. 

Oh, let us beware of this. For the Spirit 
of God, once grieved, will not readily re- 
turn. It is hard, very hard, to roll back the 
falling stone ; or to turn the stream which 
has burst through its appointed channel. 

Pray earnestly that, if you have never 
felt the working of God's grace in your 



TURNING-POINT IN CHRISTIAN LIFE. 37 

heart, you may feel it now ; and that, if the 
work is already begun, it may be carried on 
within you. 

If there is only the beginning of good 
things in your soul — if there is but a feel- 
ing of earnestness, ever so slight — if there 
is a waking up to the great realities of eter- 
nity — if there is a desire, however faint, to 
live for heaven — may He, who " despises 
not the day of small things," help you on 
your way ! May He, who knows your dif- 
ficulties better than I do, bring you through 
them all ; and enable you from this time to 
stand forward as a heaven-bound traveller, 
as one whose heart is bent on reaching a 
better home ! 



CHAPTER III. 

CHRIST THE LIFE OF THE SOUL. 

I spoke in the last chapter of God's con- 
verting power — of a soul being quickened 
or new-born by His grace. Now, where 
does the living soul find strength ? From 
whence come its supplies ? How does the 
new-born man live? 

In himself he is powerless. Within all 
is emptiness. He has been awakened, it is 
true ; but he will fall back into sleep again. 

He has been raised as it were from the 
dead ; but death will soon seize him again, 
if he has no life, but that which springs up 
from within himself. 

Let us see how it was with St. Paul after 
his conversion. Hear what he says in his 
own case, " I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth 
in me" Hear what St. John says, " He that 
hath the Son hath life ; and he that hath 
not the Son of God hath not life." And 
now let us hear what Christ Himself says, 

(38) 



CHRIST THE LIFE OF THE SOUL. 39 

" I am the Life" " the Resurrection and the 
Life; " "the Way, the Truth, and the Lifer 
" Because I live, ye shall live also." 

Christ then is the Life of the renewed soul. 

Look at one of those trees which casts 
its shade so pleasantly along our path. In 
summer how fresh and vigorous are its 
branches ! And even in the dreary season 
of winter, when every bough seems dead, 
if you cut one, you will soon see there 
is life in it. Why ? Because there is life 
and vigor in the stem. 

Or look at one of those strong steady 
arms that holds the plough, or fells the oak. 
Whence comes the power, the activity, the 
strength ? It comes from the body, in 
which there is life and health. What would 
the branch be if cut off from the tree ? 
What could the arm do if severed from the 
body? 

And so it is union with Christ, living 
upon Christ, that can alone make us grow- 
ing, thriving, vigorous Christians. 

But do we not declare, in one of our 
Creeds, that the Holy Spirit is the great 
Life-giver to the soul ? "I believe in the 
Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of Life ! " 



40 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

Yes, the gift is made over to us by Him. 
He it is who makes the heart to feel its 
utter deadness ; and then leads us to the 
Saviour for life and help. 

To know Christ then, to be looking to 
Christ, to be constantly stretching out the 
hand and heart to Christ, to be daily feeding 
upon Him, to be joined to Him by faith, 
this is the secret of all our spiritual life, and 
of all our spiritual well-being. 

But let us for a few minutes consider 
what is the history of a person who has 
been brought under the influence of God's 
grace. Does he find Christ, and live upon 
Christ, at once ? Is it a thing that he comes 
to immediately, and without any difficulty ? 
Oh, no ! The Holy Spirit usually begins 
His work by first showing us that we need 
a Saviour. Do not mistake me : I would 
not for a moment have you suppose that 
God always works precisely in this way. 
He has many ways of bringing us to Christ. 
But this is perhaps His usual way of deal- 
ing with a soul. He first lifts up the veil, 
and shows us what we are. He discovers 
to us, what we could never have discovered 



CHRIST THE LIFE OF THE SOUL. 41 

ourselves, the sinfulness of sin. We knew 
before that sin was an evil. When we saw 
it openly committed we condemned it. And 
when we were invited to commit it ourselves, 
we at once shrank back. The life we led 
was outwardly correct perhaps. We did 
about as well as our neighbors, and that 
was enough for us. But we knew nothing 
of the sin that was all the while lying deep 
down in our hearts. Our guilt had not 
been brought home to us. We had no feel- 
ing of uneasiness. 

But at length God in mercy opened our 
eyes, and stuck His arrow in our hearts. 
And then how differently did we feel ! Then 
we saw that the life we had been living was 
a useless, profitless one — and more than 
this, that it was a sinful one. We saw that 
our prayers had been no prayers at all ; that 
our reading of Scripture had been a mere 
form ; that our church-going had been a 
task and a toil ; that God was an unknown 
God to us ; that Christ was not really loved 
by us — in short, that we had been living for 
the world and not for heaven, for time and 
not for eternity. 

Oh, what a discovery ! What a fearful 



42 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE, 

discovery, you will say ! Rather, what a 
blessed discovery — to know our danger and 
find it out in time to get deliverance ! 

It often happens, that for a season a man 
remains in this state. He feels himself to 
be a sinner. The thought of his sins is ever 
before him. It rests upon him, just as a 
black leaden cloud sometimes hangs over 
us, and seems to linger in the sky above 
our heads. He is unhappy, very unhappy. 
He looks perhaps to the world to cheer him; 
but the world can do nothing for him. He 
feels its emptiness, its poverty. He sighs 
for peace. He looks for it in himself, but it 
is not there. He seeks in vain for deliver- 
ance. Ah, the wilderness seems bleak. The 
road seems very rough and difficult. The 
burden he is carrying is very heavy. He 
truly feels the need of salvation, and is 
anxious and eager to do anything to secure 
it. He tries perhaps all sorts of expedients, 
except the only true one. 

Why does he not throw himself upon 
Christ ? Why does he not rise and go to 
his Father and acknowledge his guilt ? He 
dares not go perhaps, because he has so 
greatly offended that Father ; and he knows 



CHRIST THE LIFE OF THE SOUL. 43 

not that He is a Father of mercies, and a 
God of love. 

Why then does he not go to his Minister, 
and open his grief to him ? Why does he 
not tell him of his troubles, and seek coun- 
sel of him ? How gladly would he comfort 
him ! How gladly would he lend an ear to 
all his difficulties, and perhaps point out a 
way of deliverance from them ! But, it may 
be, he thinks that his case is different from 
any other case — that no one can feel just as 
he feels. And so he shrinks from laying bare 
his heart to any fellow-creature, and hides 
from every eye the deep, aching wound 
within him. 

I can fancy a person coming to church 
with his heart thus broken. I can fancy 
how differently he would feel from many, 
when the minister says, " Let us pray." 
Prayer would be a reality with him. Ah, 
he would kneel down, and open his very 
heart to God. Once he was content to sit 
at his ease : there was no penitence then, 
no self-abhorrence then ; but now he feels 
that he can but fall upon his knees : it is the 
fitting posture for a heart-stricken sinner. 
And where can he find words more suited 



44 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

to his case, than those touching words with 
which we approach God in our Public Wor- 
ship ? "Almighty and most merciful Father, 
we have erred and strayed from Thy ways 
like lost sheep. We have followed too much 
the devices and desires of our own hearts. 
We have offended against Thy holy laws. 
We have left undone those things which we 
ought to have done ; and we have done 
those things which we ought not to have 
done. And there is no health in us." Even 
this language is not too strong for him. 
He feels that there is literally " no health " 
in him. And then those words that follow 
— how eagerly does he utter them ! " But 
Thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us, miser- 
able sinners. Spare Thou them, O God, 
which confess their faults. Restore Thou 
them that are penitent." 

Truly this is a golden prayer for a peni- 
tent soul. And that other too, in which we 
address God as One " whose nature and 
property is ever to have mercy and to for- 
give," is equally suitable to his state. And 
" though we be tied and bound with the 
chain of our sins," yet we entreat Him to 
" let the pitifulness " (this is the language of 



CHRIST THE LIFE OF THE SOUL. 45 

one who feels that he has no plea to urge, 
but must throw himself on the compassion 
of his God) — we entreat Him to " let the 
pitifulness of His great mercy loose us." 

I thank God that we have such prayers 
as these, and that we belong to a Church, 
which like a tender mother puts such 
earnest, lowly words into the lips of her 
children. 

This stage of Christian experience, which 
I have described, is painful while it lasts. 
But it is good for us to have our proud 
hearts bruised and broken by the Holy 
Spirit's influence. And He never leaves a 
soul long in this state. In time the relief 
comes. " Sorrow may endure for a night " 
— aye, and the night may be long and 
dark — " but joy cometh in the morning." 
We learn to our comfort that there is mercy 
for the lost, pardon for the guilty, rest for 
the weary — that Christ is the sinner's Rem- 
edy, and the sinner's Friend — that He is " the 
Fountain opened for sin and uncleanness ; " 
and that in Him there is " redemption 
through His blood, even the forgiveness of 
our sins." 

But here again another difficulty often 



46 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

springs up. How can I get to this Saviour ? 
Will He hear me ? Will He not reject me ? 
Am I not too vile ? Are not my sins too 
great, and of too long standing ? Have I 
repented enough ? Have I mourned enough? 
The Saviour has received others ; but will 
He receive me ? 

Such seems to be the state of mind de- 
scribed in the Third Chapter of the Book of 
Canticles. In the first two verses a seeking 
soul is described — a seeker who has not yet 
found the Saviour — one who is on the 
search, but has not yet discovered the pearl 
of great price : " By night on my bed I 
sought him whom my soul loveth. I sought 
him, but I found him not." With the ut- 
most anxiety and eagerness is this search 
carried on : " I will rise now, and go about 
the city ; in the streets and in the broad 
ways I will seek him whom my soul loveth. 
I sought him, but I found him not." Again 
and again the mournful complaint is re- 
peated, "I sought him, but found him not." 

In the third verse, the watchmen or min- 
isters are described as finding the earnest 
inquirer, and helping him in his distress : 
" The watchmen that go about the city found 



CHRIST THE LIFE OF THE SOUL. 47 

me ; to whom I said, Saw ye Him whom my 
soul loveth ? " 

And then in the fourth verse, we see that 
promise fulfilled, "Ask, and it shall be given 
you ; seek, and ye shall find." For the in- 
quirer exclaims in the joy of his heart, " It 
was but a little that I passed from them, 
but I found Him whom my soul loveth." 

Who can describe the joy of having found 
Christ? Blessed is the seeker after Him. 
4< Let the heart of them rejoice that seek the 
Lord." But still more blessed are those who 
have found Him — who can say, " My be- 
loved is mine, and I am His." 

What a thought it is to be pardoned of 
all one's sins ! to look upon God now as a 
loving Father ! to see in Christ a full, per- 
fect, and sufficient sacrifice for every past 
transgression. 

But is this all? Is pardon all we need ? 
Are the words, " Thy sins be forgiven thee," 
all we want to hear ? This is much, very 
much. But the forgiven sinner has now to 
travel along a new and heavenly road. He 
has been delivered from " the low dungeon." 
His fetters have been struck off from him. 
He has been " brought out of the horrible 



48 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

pit." He has been cleansed from " the miry 
clay." He has been raised from the very 
dead : his grave-clothes have been stript 
off. And now he has a new life before him 
— very different from his past life — a life of 
usefulness, a life of holiness, aye, and a life 
of happiness. 

He now needs the same Saviour who par- 
doned him, to be ever with him, to help 
him on his way, to keep his soul alive. As 
he has " received Christ Jesus," so he must 
now " walk in Him." He must run his 
Christian race, " looking unto Jesus." He 
must " come out of the wilderness, leaning 
on his beloved." 

We are apt to think that all we need is to 
look to Christ as our Sin-bearer; and that, 
having once gone to Him in faith, and ob- 
tained forgiveness, the work is done. 

What ! is sin gone then for ever ? Does the 
Believer need no fresh renewal of the grant 
of pardon ? Yes, he needs it daily, hourly. 
Then let us be continually looking to the 
Saviour. Our place should be constantly 
at the foot of the cross, seeking to have our 
sins again and again washed away in the Re- 
deemer's blood. 






CHRIST THE LIFE OF THE SOUL. 49 

Does not the Believeralso need strength ? 
He cannot fight by his own power. He can- 
not even walk alone. If he hopes to resist 
temptation, and to lead a holy life of service 
to his heavenly Master — if he wants boldly 
to come out from the world, and to stand 
forth as a decided follower of Christ — he I. 
must look to Jesus for daily grace to ' 
strengthen him. 

Never suppose that you can become 
strong enough to do without Christ. Never 
fancy that you can reach such a point, that 
you are anything more than a poor, help- 
less being in your Saviour's eyes. As you 
humbled yourself beneath His cross at the 
first, so continue to feel your place to be in 
the dust before Him, your righteousness 
to be as filthy rags, your strength as utter 
weakness. 

Be confident in Him; not in yourself. 
Trust in Him; not in your own attain- 
ment Look upon Him as your all, as 
the Life of your soul. Go to Him in your 
emptiness, and receive daily out of His 
fulness. 

Let me ask you, Do you truly love 
4 



50 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

Christ? Is there a moving of your heart 
towards Him ? Is He precious to your 
soul ? 

Many think they love Him. They men- 
tion Him with respect. They have a feeling 
in their minds that, in some way or other, 
they are better off than if there was no 
Saviour. But yet they cannot say that they 
do indeed love Him. They cannot exclaim 
with the Psalmist, " There is none upon 
earth that I desire in comparison with Thee." 
They hold no intercourse with Him. He is 
in truth as a stranger to their souls. 

How different is this from the experience 
of a real child of God ! He feels towards 
his Saviour as he feels towards none else. 
His language is, " Who shall separate me 
from the love of Christ? " " He loved me, 
and gave Himself for me." 

Again, have you found Christ? Happy 
those who, under the teaching of the Holy 
Spirit, have been enabled to lay hold of 
Him, and are rejoicing in His salvation; 
who have made their choice, and taken Him 
as their portion ! They are ready to say, 
" Blessed be that grace, which subdued my 
unwilling heart, and drew me to my Saviour ; 






CHRIST THE LIFE OF THE SOUL. 51 

which conquered my love of the world, and 
won me over to Christ." 

" happy day that fixed my choice 
On Thee, my Saviour and my God ! 
Well may this glowing heart rejoice, 
And tell its rapture all abroad." 

But, if I mistake not, there are some 
who, although they cannot quite say this, 
yet are on the fair way to it. And so it 
may be with you. You have not found 
Christ, but you are earnestly seeking Him. 
A desire has sprung up in your heart which 
earthly things cannot satisfy — a desire which 
comes, not from yourself, but from God — a 
desire which savors not of nature, but of 
grace. 

If this desire has a place within you, I 
thank God for it. And I pray that it may 
never leave you ; but may grow stronger 
and stronger within you, until you also can 
say, " I have found Him whom my soul 
loveth." 



CHAPTER IV. 

LIVING TO GOD. 

About three miles from this there stands 
a building which has lately been erected 
with some care, and is just roofed in. That 
building is a little Church, where I trust in 
a few weeks a congregation of worshippers 
will be gathered. 

What makes it a Church ? Not the spot 
on which it is erected ; for it stands on a 
rough, uncultivated heath. Not the mate- 
rials of which it is built ; for it is built 
of stone, and brick, and wood, of which or- 
dinary houses are composed. But it will 
one day be a Church ; because it will be 
solemnly set apart Tor the worship and service 
of God. It has been built with that inten- 
tion, and will be used for that purpose. 

So it is with the Christian. He is one 

set apart {ox God. " The Lord hath set apart 

him that is godly for Himself." The name of 

God is written, as it were, " in his forehead." 

(5*) 



LIVING TO GOD. 53 

He is " a temple of the Holy Ghost." He 

has given himself to the Lord. This was 

just what St. Paul felt, when he said, "Ye 

are not your own ; for ye are bought with 

a price : therefore glorify God in your body, 

and in your spirit, which are God's." Once 

he thought he was at liberty to go his own 

way and to do his own will. But God had s 

wrought a wondrous change in him. He 

had tasted of pardoning mercy. He had 

been brought under the influence of grace. 

He had learnt the preciousness of Christ, 

and had thankfully embraced His salvation. 

And now he felt he was Christ's property, 

Christ's servanda vessel naturally worthless, 

but mercifully " fitted for the Master's use." 

Speaking therefore of himself and his 

brethren, he says, " None of us liveth to 

himself, and no man dieth to himself For 

whether we live, we live unto the Lord ; 

and whether we die, we die unto the Lord ; 

whether we live therefore or die, we are the 

Lord's." 

I spoke to you in the first chapter about 
living without God. God forbid that any 
one of us should be living thus ! 

I spoke to you in my next chapter about 



54 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

turning to God. God grant that many of us 
have turned to Him — may have taken the 
first decisive step towards a better course ! 

And now let us give our best thoughts to 
the subject of the present chapter — Living 
to God. I shall take these three points — 

How can we live to God ? 

Why should we live to God ? and 

When should we live to Him ? 

I. How can we live to God ? 

We must live a different life from that of 
ordinary men. The little Church I spoke 
of stands amidst other houses ; but yet it 
must not be considered as a common build- 
ing. And so, if we would be God's people, 
we must feel differently, and act differently, 
from many around us. We none of us wish 
to be singular. We would not court obser- 
vation. But a really God-fearing person is 
forced to take a line somewhat different from 
many about him. This is sometimes very 
painful ; but it cannot be avoided. 

A pious Child in a family, for instance, 
wishes to serve the Saviour. And yet 
perhaps no one in the house feels as he 
feels. He meets with no encouragement, it 



LIVING TO GOD. 55 

may be — no sympathy — none to join him 
and help him in his happy, blessed course. 
This makes his way a very difficult one. 
Still he must be faithful to Christ, cost him 
what it may. 

A Servant may stand almost alone among 
his fellow-servants. They may be for the 
world : he is for God. They are thinking 
how they may get on in life : he is anxious 
to get to heaven. His feelings then and 
his actions must needs be very different 
from others. He has no wish to be singular ; 
but he must be, or else deny his Lord. 

In a school, or in a house, or in a village, 
it is soon known who are the serious ones, 
who are the soldiers of Christ, and the 
candidates for heaven. Their conduct, their 
lives, their words soon tell the tale. Yes, 
depend upon it, those who were Christ's 
disciples in former times were very unlike 
the careless ones around them. They were 
each one as a " light " in the world, as "a 
city set on a hill that cannot be hid." 

And so it must be now. We cannot creep 
along the road to heaven unobserved. We 
cannot be on the Lord's side, and yet pass 
unnoticed in the crowd. We cannot be 



56 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

Christ's disciples, without being liable to the 
charge brought against Peter, " Surely thou 
art also one of them : thy speech bewrayeth 
thee." 

Be prepared then, if you are the friend 
and follower of Christ, to take the line 
marked out for you in God's word, though 
it may be the very opposite to that which 
others are following. 

Further, there must be a separation from 
the world. 

God's children are in the world, but are 
not of the world. 

They are in the world, and therefore He 
would have them engage in its employments, 
discharge its duties, and take part in its 
occupations. In the seventeenth chapter of 
St. John, we find our Lord thus interceding 
for His people : " I pray not that thou 
shouldest take them out of the world, but 
that thou shouldest keep them from the 
evil." 

The religious Laborer may labor still ; 
and all the more heartily, because he is in 
the way of duty. 

The religious Tradesman may still stand 



LIVING TO GOD. 57 

behind his counter, but there will be no 
underhand dealing, no leaded weights or 
shortened measures, but all his business 
will be done in the fear of God. It must 
and will be so, if he is a Christian man. 

The religious Farmer too will still culti- 
vate his land, still exercise the same watch- 
ful care, still exert the same industry and 
forethought. But he will do it in a different 
spirit. Whilst he sows the seed, or looks 
after his flock, he will remember from whence 
cometh the increase. His eye will be often 
turned to Him who can alone give the 
blessing. 

The child of God is not of the world. 
He has lost his greediness for its pleasures : 
for he has tasted of something better. He 
has lost his eager desire for gain ; for he 
has won a prize, which exceeds all earthly 
treasures. He has lost his love for worldly 
company ; for he has now a new and better 
Friend than this world ever gave him. 

The Christian is called to give up the 
world : that is, all that is sinful, all that is 
frivolous, all that draws away the heart 
from God. 

You will say perhaps, Give us then some 



58 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

rule that we may follow, as to what we must 
give up. I cannot do it. No one can. 
Your own conscience must be your guide. 
The feelings of your own heart must sway 
you. The only thing like a rule which I can 
give you is this — and if you follow it, you 
will not be far wrong — " Do nothing on 
which you cannot kneel down and ask God's 
blessing. Go nowhere, where you would 
not wish Christ to find you." I repeat it ; for 
I feel that it may be useful to you through 
life : " Do nothing, on which you cannot 
kneel down and ask God's blessing. Go no- 
where, where you would not wish Christ to 
find you." 

But I must go further, and say, that as re- 
gards our worldly occupations which are right 
in themselves, we must not follow them, so as 
to give our whole hearts and souls to them. 
Important as they are, there is something 
more important. Whilst many put earth's 
engagements above the call of God — whilst 
they are saying in their hearts, " Business, be 
thou my god ; I devote myself to thee," — 
let our language be, " This one thing I do, 
forgetting those things which are behind, and 
reaching forth unto those things which are 



LIVING TO GOD. 59 

before, I press towards the mark. I seek 
first the kingdom of God." 

It is quite clear from Scripture that we 
are required, and solemnly called upon as 
Christians, to give up the world. " If any 
man love the world, the love of the Father 
is not in him." " The friendship of the world 
is enmity with God." " Wherefore come 
out from among them, and be ye separate, 
saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean 
thing ; and I will be a Father unto you." 

Again, we must deny ourselves for the 
Lord's sake. 

The Christian is called upon sometimes 
to do what is contrary to his own inclina- 
tions. He must learn then to deny himself. 
He must no longer do things, merely be- 
cause they square with his own will, but 
because the Lord would have him do them. 
The faithful service of God often brings us 
into trouble. We often have to bear much, 
for His sake. We often have to act in a 
way that flesh and blood would shrink from. 
But shall we not do what our Heavenly 
Father bids us do ? Shall we not bear what 
He sees well to lay upon us ? Yes, and 



60 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

even rejoice in doing it; and thankfully and 
cheerfully bear it, at His bidding. 

When our own evil hearts then are ready 
to turn away from the task, or quake with 
fear, let us remember Him who said, " If 
any man will come after me, let him deny 
himself, take up his cross, and follow me." 

There must also be a bold, hearty, de- 
cided surrender of ourselves to the Lord. 

There can be no living to God y where 
there is half-heartedness, wavering, or inde- 
cision. We must fearlessly face the world, 
and declare ourselves for Christ. There 
must be no hanging back, no fear of man's 
displeasure, no truckling to this person's 
arguments, or that person's fancies. Christ 
bids us come boldly forward as His servants, 
and we dare not hang back. 

Ah, here is the trial. I know how diffi- 
cult it is to take so strong and decided a 
step. And yet I am sure that thousands 
lose their peace of mind — lose God's favor 
— aye, and lose heaven too — for want of 
taking it. 

I wish I could persuade you this day to 
leave the ranks of indifference, of indecision 



LIVING TO GOD. 61 

— may I not say, the ranks of cowardice ? 
for I know that the conscience of more than 
one of you is now whispering, " I ought to 
yield myself up at once to God." I wish I 
could persuade you at this moment boldly 
and fearlessly to declare yourself for Christ, 
and to cast in your life with His people. 

May the Lord Himself " draw you with 
the cords of a man, with the bands of love ! " 

Lastly, we must live a life of faith. 

"We" (St. Paul says), "we Christians 
walk by faith, not by sight." " We look 
not at the things which are seen and are 
temporal, but at the things which are not 
seen and are eternal." 

If your treasure is here, labor for it night 
and day ; strive for it, as for a prize ; grasp 
it with all eagerness. But if you wish for 
that better portion, which is promised you, 
and is yet to come, pray for it, seek for it, 
live for it. 

I trust you at times long for that better 
portion. There is a Friend for you above, 
out of sight, " whom having not seen " you 
may "love." There is an Almighty Arm 
ready to shelter you : place yourself under 



62 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

its care. There is a Home before you — an 
eternal home : be ever looking towards it 
with the unwavering eye of faith. 

This, I believe, is what Scripture means 
by " living unto the Lord " — a different life 
from that of others ; a separation from the 
world ; a denying of ourselves for Christ's 
sake; a bold surrender of ourselves to the 
Lord ; a life of faith. 

Oh, that God may give us grace to choose 
such a life as this ; and having chosen it, 
never to waver in our choice ! 

There are two other inquiries, which I 
shall touch upon very briefly. 

Why should we thus live to God? We 
are not our own, but His. He made us. 
He preserves us. We are in His hands. 
To Him we owe our strength, our health, 
our lives. But still more, we owe to Him 
our salvation. He loved us, and sent His 
Son to die for us. We have been bought 
by His precious blood. " He died for all, 
that they which live should not henceforth 
live unto themselves, but unto Him." That 
Church on the heath, of which I spoke just 



LIVING TO GOD. 63 

now, is no longer man's property ; it is God's 
house. And so the Christian is not his own, 
but the Lord's. He has consecrated him- 
self to the Lord's service. 

If we felt this more — " I am not my own, 
but Christ's — not my own, to live for my- 
self, but Christ's, to live for Him " — then 
how differently should we feel and act! 
Our life would be one entire consecration to 
our Master's service. Our constant inquiry 
would be, " How can I please Him ? How can 
I do His will ? How can I glorify Him in 
my body, and in my spirit, which are His?" 

Remember, He who is your great Creator, 
to whom you owe your very life — your Pro- 
tector, who has guarded you up to this hour 
— your Father, who so tenderly loves you — 
He says to you, Give Me — not your money, 
not your health, not your strength, not your 
words — but give Me something in which I 
am more interested still ; my son, give Me 
thy heart. And can you refuse to give it ? 

He who is your Saviour too, who has 
loved you as no brother ever loved you ; 
who has stretched Himself on the cross for 
you ; who has drunk the bitter cup of suffer- 
ing for your sake ; He says, " I stand at the 



64 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

door and knock." Oh, will you not let Him 
in ? Will you not say, " Other lords beside 
Thee have had dominion over me; but I 
desire henceforth to give my heart, my life, 
myself, to Thee. ,, 

And now, a word or two on the question, 
When shall we live unto God? 

To this I answer without hesitation, Now, 
to-day, this very hour. The time past of our 
lives sufficeth to have lived to ourselves and 
to the world. Now begin to live to God. 
Why not? 

What ! Would you have young men and 
women, just entering on the joys of life, 
give themselves to God ? Would you have 
those who are in health and strength, with 
probably a long life before them — would 
you have them turn their backs on the world 
and enter upon Christ's service? Yes, cer- 
tainly I would. 

We cannot too soon begin a life of such 
joy and blessedness. Why not? Are the 
world's bonds too strong to break ? Is self 
too dear to be given up ? Is the heart so 
fondly set on things below ? Has it clung 
to them so long that it is unwilling to break 



LIVING TO GOD, 65 

away from them now, and enjoy those bet- 
ter things which God has to give? Oh, take 
care lest death comes and finds us living — 
I will not say a sinful life — but a selfish, un- 
profitable, worldly life. 

I feel that the great end of this book will 
not be gained, unless it leads you to 
stand out from the world, and to be 
really anxious to lead godly and heavenly 
lives. 

I am thankful if you are quiet and re- 
spectable ; if you go to church, and some- 
times to the Holy Table. But I want more. 
I want to see sin forsaken, Jesus my Saviour 
loved and honored. I want to see you 
crowding into the narrow way — pressing 
onward with a firm and joyous step. I 
want to see you asking the way to Zion with 
your face thitherward, determined by God's 
help to live as an earnest, faithful, and con- 
sistent follower of Christ. 

God grant that you may one day — ah, 
this day — take up the language of the Apos- 
tle, and say, " Whether I live I will live unto 
the Lord : and whether I die I will die unto 
the Lord : whether living therefore or dying, 
I will be the Lord's/' 



CHAPTER V. 

THE GREAT WORK OF LIFE. 

Our Lord's life on earth was the great pat- 
tern life. Even in the days of His childhood, 
He worked for His heavenly Father. Those 
early years were spent with His earthly 
Parents principally at Nazareth. Picture to 
yourself a Child, much like other children, 
year by year growing in wisdom and in 
stature ; strictly following the wishes of 
Joseph and Mary ; working at their trade, 
as " the Carpenter's Son ; " a sinless Child, a 
pattern of holiness, and perfectly pure in 
heart and life. 

At the age of twelve, His Parents took 
Him with them, to attend the great Feast of 
the Passover, according to the custom of the 
Jews. It was usual on those occasions for 
several families to join together for safety, 
and to travel in company. Those Passover 
days must have been happy and solemn sea- 
sons ; for there was much in them to re- 

(66) 



THE GREAT WORK OF LIFE. 67 

mind the people of God of His past good- 
ness to them, and of mercies yet to come. 

The Feast being ended, the different com- 
panies gather together, and leave the city 
with their faces turned again towards their 
respective homes. The little party from 
Nazareth is among the rest. But Jesus is 
not with them. So great, however, was the 
crowd, that it was not till the close of the 
first day's journey, that His Parents dis- 
covered that He was missing; for they 
supposed all the while that He was in 
the company, among their kinsfolk and ac- 
quaintance. 

As soon as they found it out, they hastened 
back to Jerusalem with the greatest anxiety. 
And there, in the midst of the Temple, to 
their surprise they beheld Him surrounded 
by a group of learned men, called Doctors, 
or Teachers of the Law. There He was, 
with these venerable Elders hanging upon 
His lips, and hearing from Him such words 
as no child had ever uttered before. 

His Mother at once addresses Him in 
language of affectionate remonstrance ; "Son, 
why has thou thus dealt with us ? Behold, 
thy father and I have sought thee sorrow- 



68 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

ing." As much as to say, " Thou hast never 
before caused us a single pang. The hearts 
of other parents have been sometime 
grieved ; but our hearts never experienced 
a moment's sorrow on Thy account. 
What has called Thee away from us 
now ?" 

This question drew forth those remark- 
able words, " How is it that ye sought Me ? 
Wist ye not that I must be about my 
Father's business ? " 

Then in the eye of Jesus, there is a higher 
work than that which concerns this world. 
There is a Father in heaven, a Master 
above, who has a stronger claim upon us 
even than our earthly father, or our earthly 
master. 

How much we may learn from this 
heavenly Child ! We know not what were 
the words He spoke to those aged Jewish 
doctors ; but these few simple words ad- 
dressed to His Parents contain a most in- 
structive sermon in themselves. May we 
listen to it, and may it have a resting-place 
in our hearts ! 

Truly we have each of us some great work 
to do for God. What is it ? 



THE GREAT WORK OF LIFE. 69 

Did you ever watch a swarm of bees on 
a warm summer's day ? All the members 
of that busy throng are employing them- 
selves. Some may be seen flying quickly 
through the air in search of flowers from 
which to gather their harvest. Others are 
seen returning homewards with a goodly 
storp of gathered honey. They enter the 
crowded hive, and deposit their burden ; 
but there is no confusion. Others, again, 
may be seen building up the little cells, 
each one beautifully shaped according to 
the truest rule. And a few are posted near 
the entrance, fanning the air with their wings, 
for the sake of those within, who would 
otherwise be exhausted with their labor. 

Here is a picture of God's Church, or 
Family on earth. He would have us all to 
be workers, busy in His service, laboring 
for Him, employed in the great work of 
His kingdom. 

Why are we sent here ? Is it to be 
idlers ? Is it to do our own work, and to 
follow our own ways ? Is it to labor only 
for the meat that perisheth, to toil here for 
a few years for this world's pay, and then 
to pass away, and be forgotten. 



70 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

No, we have a nobler calling, a better 
portion than this. We must not leave the 
work of this world undone. The laborer, 
the tradesman, the farmer, all of us have 
our earthly duties to discharge. " If a man 
will not work, neither let him eat." It would 
indeed be a mistake, if the laborer were to 
leave the plough, because God had called 
him into His service ; or if the tradesman 
were to neglect his customers, on the plea 
that his soul must be cared for ; or if the 
farmer were to let the weeds grow in his 
fields, and his fallows remain unsown, be- 
cause he has a God to serve, and a soul to 
be saved. 

Thank God, He is no such hard Master. 
Instead of this, He bids us labor, and makes 
our very labor a means by which we may 
truly serve Him. We need not go out of 
the world to do His work. We shall serve 
Him most effectually if we carry our Chris- 
tianity into the every-day occupation of life. 
How many there are in the world, who are 
always wishing to be useful — always intend- 
ing to do something for God — often dream- 
ing what they might do, if they were in 
such and such circumstances. And yet, if 






THE GREAT WORK OF LIFE. 71 

they would but begin by doing something 
that is close to tlieir hands, it would indeed 
be well. There is work enough before us, 
without looking elsewhere. 

Are we Parents ? We shall be doing 
God's work, if we train up our children for 
Him. Are we Masters ? We shall be serv- 
ing God, if for His sake we are kind and 
considerate, and watchful over those who 
are placed under our care by Him. Are 
we servants ? Is labor our calling ? God 
will accept our work, if we do it cheerfully 
and faithfully as unto the Lord, and not to 
man. 

But over and above our earthly work 
there is a special work to do for God ; or 
rather I would say, Whilst doing the lower 
work of earth, there is a higher, a nobler, a 
far greater work to be done for the Lord. 
He can employ us, if we have only the 
heart to be employed. 

What shall we say then of those who 
spend their life in idleness, seeking their 
own pleasure, and wasting their precious 
moments on themselves ; or of those who 
are busy and active, but it is about their 
own gain, or their own advancement in the 



72 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

world ? They may be harmless and in- 
offensive in their lives, and the world may 
pronounce them to be useful persons ; but 
both the one and the other are in God's sight 
mere cumberers of the ground. 

Now, what is the work He would have 
us to do ? 

The work of a Minister is plain enough — 
to preach the glad tidings of salvation — to 
explain to men God's Word and will — to care 
for souls, and to labor if by any means he 
may win them to Christ. This is the 
solemn work which is laid upon them. 
And truly if men should wish to draw them 
aside from it, they might well answer in the 
words of Nehemiah, " I am doing a great 
work, so that I cannot come down. Why 
should the work cease, while I leave it ? " 

But all are not Ministers. And yet God 
has just as special a work for you to do in 
the world as for them. The Church of Christ 
is like that Hive. And if we really belong 
to it, there is an important task for each of 
us, and we shall certainly be doing it. The 
lowest and the least has a place allotted to 
him by the Lord ; and happy for him if he 
is earnestly filling it. 



THE GREA T WORK OF LIFE. 73 

For example, one may go and stand by 
the bedside of some afflicted neighbor, and 
speak to him comforting words of tender- 
ness and truth. In so doing you will be 
showing your love to Him who said, " I was 
sick, and ye visited me." This is a Christian 
work, and a work which more would gladly 
engage in, if their hearts glowed with the 
love of souls. " Pure religion and undefiled 
is this, to visit the widows and fatherless in 
their affliction, and keep himself unspotted 
from the world." 

Another may feel able to speak boldly 
for Christ, wherever he goes. He will not 
speak rashly, so as to bring religion into 
contempt, or proudly, as if he were better 
and wiser than others. But he will speak 
humbly, under a deeper sense of his own 
unworthiness. And thus he will try, as far 
as in him lies, to win men into Christ's 
service. 

A third may not be able to say much. 
He may often long to speak ; but his 
courage fails him. He has often prayed 
perhaps that he may be able ; but the power 
is withheld. Still he may be useful, very 
useful, even more useful perhaps than one 



74 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

who has a readier tongue. He may speak 
by his life. He may draw others into the 
fold by his holy and consistent conduct. 

What shall I say more ? There are a 
thousand ways by which we may be doing 
God's work, and furthering His cause in 
the world. The person who teaches a little 
group of Sunday-school children, from love 
to the Saviour — the person who counts it 
no trouble to go round a parish, to collect 
funds for sending the Gospel to the heathen — 
even the poor sufferer who is cut off from 
intercourse with the world, but who, as he 
lies upon his sick bed, prays earnestly and 
constantly for his brethren, that the Gospel 
may reach their hearts — these, and many 
more, are really doing God's work, and are 
fulfilling the task to which He has called 
them. 

Surely God gives to all some opportunity 
of being useful. He may give to some 
but one talent, and to others ten. But He 
looks as graciously on him who has the 
one, if he employs that one rightly, as He 
does on him who has the ten. Yes, there 
are none among us, none so poor, none so 
young, none so old, none so unlearned, 



THE GREAT WORK OF LIFE. 75 

none so occupied, but that they may do 
something for their heavenly Master, and 
for His people. 

Is there any Drunkard whom you have 
anything to do with ? Try and stop him 
in his downward course. Don't say, It is 
not my work. It is your work, if God 
gives you the opportunity. And though 
you may fail, as we often do, still He will 
accept your endeavor. Is there any one 
of your acquaintance thoughtless and care- 
less ? Beware lest you encourage that 
person by your silence, when you might 
say something to him, which by God's bless- 
ing would do him good. Is any one a 
neglecter of God's house ? Use every effort 
to bring him with you into your Saviour's 
presence. He may be blest there, and you 
may save his soul. 

I feel sure that each one of us has some 
influence over his brother. Depend upon it, 
we never come into a person's company, but 
we either do him good, or we do him harm. 
We may not perceive it at the time. The 
effect may be very small. So is the effect 
of a drop of rain, or a flake of snow, or a 
gleam of sunshine on the corn ; but many 



76 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

such drops, and flakes, and gleams, have a 
wondrous influence on the coming harvest. 

Just reflect how very different is the in- 
fluence which two men may have in their 
ordinary course through life. 

One perhaps is a hard man of the world. 
He attends regularly to his business. He 
is up early. He never idles. There is no 
loitering by the way. His mind is set on 
gain ; and therefore, if anything crosses 
his plans, it frets and irritates him. Every 
now and then a word will fall from his lips, 
which but too plainly shows that God is 
not in all his thoughts. If he goes into 
company, his remarks are rather against 
religion than for it. If anything is going 
on in his parish for the good of souls, or 
for the glory of God, he either opposes it, 
or passes it by in silence. 

Think you, that such a man's influence 
can do no harm ? It must do harm. We 
feel that it has done us harm, when we 
have been thrown in with one of this 
stamp. 

But how different is the course of another 
person who carries into daily life the character 
and bearing of a Christian. His mind is 



THE GREAT WORK OF LIFE. 77 

calm and peaceful ; and scarcely anything 
ruffles it. He has a kind word for every 
one. He is ready for every good work. If 
it be a right thing, he will at once lend a 
hand in forwarding it. He is not content 
to leave it to others, or to consider how he 
may avoid it with decency, but he is thank- 
ful to take part in it himself. If God has 
set him in a place of authority, he is 
anxious to promote the welfare, both bod- 
ily and spiritual, of those who are under 
him. If he is in a lower station, he will 
remember that he has an earthly, and a 
heavenly, Master; and whilst he does the 
work of the one, he will not leave the 
work of the other undone. If he happens 
to be thrown among strangers, he will feel 
that the eye of his God is upon him ; and, 
like a true-hearted soldier, he will not be 
ashamed to show his colors. Wherever he 
is, and whatever he is doing, he will not 
forget his " Father's business." 

What a vast difference between the two — 
the one constantly grieving his heavenly 
Father, and doing some little amount of 
harm to his fellow-men ; the other scatter- 
ing blessings wherever he goes : the one 



78 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

living most effectually to God ; the other 
living without Him in the world. 

Which will you be ? May God give you 
grace to live, and act, and speak for Him, 
so long as life is spared to you ! 

And now, in bringing this subject to a 
close, I will once more call your attention to 
the words which I alluded to at the begin- 
ning of the chapter. Our Lord calls that 
higher work, of which we have been speak- 
ing, His Father's business — " Wist ye not 
that I must be about my Father's business ? " 

Now, it was not the great work of atone- 
ment that Jesus spoke of here. Neither 
was it the work of His ministry. For He 
did not come forth into public till eighteen 
years after this. But he speaks of Himself 
as a Son and Servant of God. And He felt 
that the work of God was His work, and 
that the great business before His mind was 
His " Father's business." 

Let this same feeling be ever in our minds. 
And whilst many are putting earth's busi- 
ness above the calls of God — whilst they 
are saying in their hearts, " Worldly busi- 
ness, be thou my God ; I devote myself to 



THE GREA T WORK OE LIFE. 79 

thee " — let us remember that we have a great 
and glorious work to do for our Father in 
heaven, and let us be ever ready to do it. 
The will will be given us, and the powertoo, 
if we entreat God to bestow it upon us. Yes, 
and life will be sweetened by the thought 
that we are doing something for Him, who 
has done so much for us. It is my heavenly 
Father, to whom I am indebted for all I am, 
and all I have. I live under His daily care. 
My soul is in His hourly keeping. I walk 
with Him day by day. I hope to dwell with 
Him for ever. Oh, wonder not that I de- 
sire to do His will. " Wist ye not that I 
must be about my Father's business ?" 

You and I shall soon be laid down upon 
our death-beds. And as we look back on 
the long past, we shall probably feel that 
there is much (oh, how much!) that we have 
done amiss. Many sins we shall then re- 
member, which need a Saviour's blood to 
purge. But this is not all. Shall we not also 
feel that there is much that we have left un- 
done — that we might have been more use- 
ful in our day — that we have neglected many 
golden opportunities ? How very few of us 



So THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

will be able to say, " I have finished the work 
which Thou gavest me to do ! I have la- 
bored for thee ; I have spoken for Thee ; 
I have acted for Thee ; I have lived for 
Thee ! " 

We came into the world to do ; not to 
dream. Let us then arouse ourselves. Let 
us be workmen for Christ. There is a great 
work to be done for Him in the world, and 
but very few to do it. Let us be among 
those few. And then too we have but a 
little while to work in. Our days are get- 
ting shorter and shorter. The night will 
soon come when no more work can be 
done. 

Now, our Father is saying to us, " Son, 
work to-day in my vineyard/' Soon He will 
say, " Son, give an account of thy stew- 
ardship, for thou mayest be no longer 
steward : thy work-day has closed for 
ever ! " 

Years ago, when you came into the world, 
God sent you on a special errand. And that 
errand was to glorify Him. To this end you 
were born, and for this cause you came into 
the world. Now, how have you fulfilled the 
end for which He sent you ? Perhaps not 



THE GREAT WORK OF LIFE. 81 

at all. You may have prospered. Your 
life may have been one great success. But 
one day you will perhaps discover that you 
have altogether missed the end for which 
God destined you. And oh, what a bitter 
pang will it be to find that you have lived al- 
together in vain ! 

But I trust that this may not be the case 
with you. May you be one of those whose 
earnest desire it is to serve Christ, and 
humbly to do the work to which He has 
called you. 



CHAPTER VI. 

THE GREAT END OF LIFE. 

What is the great end of life ? What 
is the one chief object which the Christian 
should have ever before him ? 

If one who had never mixed with his fel- 
low-men were to come among us, what 
would be the impression upon his mind ? 
If he went into the streets of London, or 
into any of our manufacturing towns, what 
would he say of the men and women whom 
he met with ? He would see that they are 
busy, they are active, they are striving for 
something. Their very countenances show 
an eagerness about their pursuits. They 
are up early ; they are in bed late ; they 
work hard. And, upon inquiry, he would 
find that all this is for Gain, The end their 
minds are fixed on is to get money. 

Or if he fell in with some of the rich and 
noble of the land, he would see that many of 
them are only thinking how they can make a 

(82) 



THE GREAT END OF LIFE. $3 

merriment of life — how they can while away 
their days and hours in amusement. Then 
he would come to the conclusion that 
Pleasure is the great end of life, the great 
object to live for. 

Or if he went to one of our Universities, 
he would find men, old and young, engaged 
in study — poring over their books perhaps 
for eight or ten hours in the day. From 
this he would gather that Learning is the 
great end of life. 

Or if he mixed among our Soldiers and 
Sailors, and listened to their conversation, 
he would come away with the idea that 
earthly Honor and Glory is the great thing 
to live for. 

Or suppose he came into one of our 
country villages, he would observe whole 
families dependent on their labor, earning 
their bread by the sweat of their brow, and 
entirely trusting to their weekly wages. And 
he would be led to imagine that Getting a 
living is the great aim of life. 

Too true it is that a large portion of man- 
kind have no further end in view, than gain, 
or pleasure, or learning, or earthly glory, 
or mere subsistence. But we must acknowl- 



84 THE CHRIST! AX LIFE. 

edge that these are but a poor aim for one 
who has an immortal soul, for one who at 
the first was created in God's image. 

What then ought to be the end and ob- 
ject for which we are living ? 

Is it Pardon ? We are coming nearer to 
it now. Well may the awakened penitent 
long for pardon. Well may he feel that to 
be rid of that heavy burden would be his 
greatest happiness. Well may he sigh for 
it, as the prisoner sighs for liberty. And, 
when he obtains it, well may he rejoice with 
a joy he never felt before. 

But yet there is a higher end than this 
that the pardoned Christian may be looking 
for, and longing for. What is it? Perhaps 
it is Heaven. This is a blessed and noble 
object to have in view — to live for heaven ; 
to have our eye ever turned towards that 
blessed abode, which we shall share for ever 
with the Lord Himself! Yes, to secure our 
own salvation ; to win heaven for ourselves ; 
to be safe for eternity ; to have a firm, 
bright, joyous hope as regards the future ; 
this is unspeakably important to each one 
of us. 

But if this be our only object, or even our 



THE GREAT END OF LIFE. 85 

ruling object in life, then is there not some- 
thing almost selfish in our aim ? Thank God 
there is one higher and nobler still. And 
that is to glorify God. 

Look at our great Pattern. Look at Him 
who, when He became man, became a per- 
fect man. Now, from the very dawn of our 
Lord's earthly existence, to the hour when 
His life closed in, all was one continual 
glorifying of God. He was always doing 
the will of Him that sent Him. He was al- 
ways about His Father's business. Again 
and again we find such words as these 
coming from His lips, " I seek not mine own 
glory," " I honor my Father." Watch Him 
at the grave of Lazarus. This object was 
foremost on His mind. With this view He 
raised the dead corpse to life. Hear how 
He speaks to Martha, " Said I not unto thee, 
that, if thou wouldest believe, thou should- 
est see the glory of God ? " When the hour 
of His own sufferings drew near, He ex- 
claimed, " Now is my soul troubled, and 
what shall I say — Father, save me from this 
hour? But for this cause came I unto this 
hour. Father, glorify thy name!' And 
again, " I have glorified thee on the earth ; 



86 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

I have finished the work which thou gavest 
me to do." 

This is the great errand too, on which 
the Angels loved to be employed. How 
did the air ring with their joyful song, on 
the first Christmas morn, when they pro- 
claimed, " Glory to God in the highest, and 
on earth peace, good-will towards men!" 
And such too has been the great and con- 
straining object for which many a Believer 
has lived. What is the one motive which 
has led hundreds of God's servants to give 
their money, their time, their strength, 
their hearts to Him ? It is the desire to 
bring glory to His name. 

This was the secret of St. Paul's earnest- 
ness. This made him labor, and strive, and 
fight. This made him willing to bear 
shame, reproach, and suffering ; yea, and 
even to count his very life not dear unto 
himself. If he could only promote His 
Master's glory, he felt himself abundantly 
repaid. He was content to be despised, so 
that Christ might be honored. He was 
willing to be abased, if only His Lord 
might be exalted. I hardly know such 
noble feelings uttered by any one, as those 



THE GREAT END OF LIFE. 87 

which St. Paul expressed in writing to the 
Philippians — such entire putting down of 
self, that the kingdom of Christ, and His 
glory might be advanced ; " The things 
which have happened unto me," he says, 
" have fallen out rather unto the furtherance 
of the gospel ; so that my bonds in Christ 
are manifest in all the palace, and in all 
other places. And many of the brethren 
in the Lord, waxing confident in my bonds, 
are much more bold to speak the word 
without fear. Some indeed preach Christ 
even of envy and strife, and some also of 
good will. The one preach Christ of con- 
tention, not sincerely, supposing to add af- 
fliction to my bonds ; but the other of love, 
knowing that I am set for the defence of 
the gospel. What then ? Notwithstand- 
ing, every way, whether in pretence or in 
truth, Christ is preached ; and I therein do 
rejoice, yea, and will rejoice. . . According 
to my earnest expectation, and my hope, 
that in nothing shall I be ashamed, but that 
with all boldness, as always, so now also, 
Christ shall be magnified in my body, 
whether it be by life or by death. For to 
me to live is Christ." 



88 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

And what are the feelings that he recom- 
mends to his Christian brethren ? Just the 
same feelings — nothing lower. " Ye are 
bought with a price ; therefore glorify God 
in your body, and in your spirit, which are 
God's ;" and again, " Whatsoever ye do, do 
all to the glory of God!' 

So then, you see, this should be the 
great end and object of the Christian's life 
— to glorify God. 

Let me now put this matter before you 
in such a way that you may act upon it. I 
will offer you some directions, and mention 
some ways in which you may glorify God. 

I. Try and wean yourself from all self- 
glorifying. Even where there is grace in 
the heart, we have need to be on our guard. 
Self is for ever endeavoring to get the up- 
per hand. The old Adam — our old nature 
— is constantly striving to exalt itself. Like 
Diotrephes, we " love to have the pre-emi- 
nence." We are continually wishing to be 
something more than Christ would have us 
to be. Oh, let us curb this desire and be 
willing to be nothing for Christ's sake. 



THE GREAT END OF LIFE. 89 

We ministers know perhaps more than 
any what this temptation is. To get a 
name for earnestness in our sacred calling 
— to acquit ourselves creditably before our 
people — to win their applause — to acquire 
a certain amount of popularity — these de- 
sires are for ever creeping in, and filling 
the place of purer and higher motives. 
Yes, and we may deceive ourselves, and 
fancy that we are doing God's work, and 
glorifying Him, when in fact we are only 
glorifying ourselves. 

It is related of two Ministers, who had 
separate charges in London, both seemingly 
devoted to their work, and both preach- 
ing earnest and stirring sermons, that they 
made this agreement — that, whichever of 
them should die first, the spirit of the de- 
parted one should return, and declare to 
his Friend what was the sentence passed 
upon him and his work in the Lord's vine- 
yard. 

After a while one of the two died ; and it 
is said that his spirit returned and appeared 
to the survivor. And when asked if he 
was now in the peaceful enjoyment of Para- 
dise, reaping the reward of his abundant 



90 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

labors, M No," he replied, " I am lost. I am 
cast away. I have been weighed in the 
balance, and found wanting." "Why?" it 
was asked. " Was not your preaching true 
and faithful ? Were you condemned for 
aught you said as God's messenger ?" " Oh 
no, it was not my words that were wrongly 
spoken ; it was not my preaching that 
was wanting in energy or boldness ; it was 
not my activity that lacked. But this it 
was — that, while I seemed to preach Christ t 
I was really preaching myself. It was my 
own good name, my own praise, my own 
glory, that I sought. The preaching of 
the cross was in very truth but the cloak 
that covered my empty profession of devot- 
edness. And now that the cloak is torn 
away, I am left naked and stripped of all, 
and I must go down a soul-deceiver and a 
self-deceiver into Hell." 

Though we cannot for a moment believe 
this narrative to be true, yet there is a 
point in it which may come home with 
searching power to all our hearts. Let us 
keep self in the background; and be often 
questioning ourselves, " Do I act from a 
proper motive ? Am I wishing to gain a 



THE GREAT END OF LIFE. 91 

name among men, or to advance the glory 
of my God ? " 

2. Set God's glory distinctly before you 
in all you do. I am to glorify God — this is 
the great end which I am to live for. Per- 
haps we have never thought of this. Per- 
haps we have never done a single thing in 
our whole lives from this grand and glori- 
ous motive. We have acted oftentimes 
from a desire to do what is right, from a 
sense of duty, or from a feeling of kindness 
and love, or from a wish to be useful. But 
how seldom have we done a thing from a 
simple desire to glorify God ! And yet 
this is the highest and most blessed mo- 
tive from which a Christian can act. This 
is doing as Christ did, and feeling as He 
felt. 

St. Peter, speaking of our gifts, bids us to 
use them, " that God in all things maybe 
glorified " — not in one thing, but in "all 
things " — not in great things merely, but in 
little things as well. And St. Paul goes 
still further, for he says, " Whether ye eat 
or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the 
glory of God." That is, in all the little 
actions of your daily life, let this one motive 



92 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

be the mainspring of all your doings — to 
bring glory to Him. 

3. Endeavor to honor God by the holi- 
ness of your life. Nothing brings such dis- 
honor upon the Gospel, and nothing leads 
to such contempt for the truth, as the un- 
holy lives of His professing people. And, 
on the other hand, nothing is so pleasing to 
Him, and brings such honor to His name 
and cause, as the holy lives of his fol- 
lowers. 

We Christians are called with a holy call- 
ing. We are called to be like Jesus, holy, 
harmless, undefiled, and separate from sin- 
ners. I often picture to myself a little band 
of holy men and women in any parish — a 
compact band, a loving band, a devoted 
band, of really consistent Christians — not 
mere professors, but possessors of Christ — 
not talkers, but workers — not hearers only, 
but doers of the Word — fruit-bearers, light- 
reflectors, living epistles of Christ, known 
and read of all men. What a blessed in- 
fluence would they have on others ; like 
leaven, spreading itself over the whole mass ; 
like ointment, scattering around the per- 
fume of godliness! This would give life to 



THE GREAT END OF LIFE. 93 

our Churches. This would put to silence 
the gainsayer. This would attract, and win 
over, the unbeliever. 

St. Paul speaks of our " adorning the 
doctrine of God our Saviour in all things." 
What a word that is — adorning the doctrine ! 
Can we add anything to that which is in it- 
self so pure, and bright, and lovely, as the 
Gospel ? Alas, we oftener throw a veil over 
it, and dim its beauties: we cast upon it 
many a blot, and so mar its charms. And 
yet we may adorn the Gospel, we may add 
a lustre to it, by living under its power. 
What more lovely picture is there in the 
world, than to see a holy and happy 
Christian acting out the Gospel in all he 
does ? 

Oh, let us try to make religion attractive 
by the blamelessness of our lives. Let us 
show forth the character of Christ in our 
daily conduct. Why is it that our Lord 
exhorts us to " let our light shine before 
men ? " It is that they may be led, by see- 
ing our good works, not to praise us, but 
" to glorify our Jather which is in heaven." 
And, believe me, the poorest and humblest 
may do this. We may all let our light 



94 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

shine for Christ. For do we not see the 
glorious sun reflected on the little tiny dew- 
drop, as well as on the boundless ocean ? 
" Herein," says Christ, " is my Father glori- 
fied, that ye bear much fruit." 

4. Make it a subject of prayer that you 
may glorify God. 

We are taught to ask this in the pattern 
prayer which Jesus has given us. There, 
out of the seven petitions, which we are 
taught to offer, we plead in three of them 
for our Father's glory: " Hallowed be Thy 
name;" "Thy kingdom come;" " Thy will 
be done." 

So too in our Prayer Book we ask again 
and again for this very thing; " Grant that 
we may evermore serve Thee in holiness 
and pureness of living, to Thy honor and 
glory y Again, in praying for our Rulers, 
we ask, " that they may above all things seek 
God's honor and glory!' And for our gov- 
ernors, " that God would be pleased to di- 
rect and prosper all their consultations to the 
advancement of His glory." And then, more 
than once in the Service, our lips pour 
forth those few but stirring words of praise, 



THE GREAT END OF LIFE, 95 

"Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, 
and to the Holy Ghost." 

Seek then to glorify God. It is He who 
has placed us where we are, who has ap- 
pointed our lot for us. He has put us 
where we may best glorify Him, where we 
can do a work for Him, which we could 
not do elsewhere. We may glorify Him 
by patiently bearing whatever He is pleased 
to lay upon us, by cheerfully submitting to 
His will in all things. We may do so by 
our words, by our prayers, by our faith, by 
a holy and Christian life. 

One cannot but respect a Son who has 
his Father's honor at heart. One cannot 
but admire a Soldier who would rather die 
than disgrace his country. And if we are 
worthy of the name of Sons, shall we not 
seek our heavenly Father's honor? If we 
are true Soldiers of Christ, shall we not de- 
sire above all things our Saviour's glory ? 

Let us determine to make this our con- 
stant aim. Let us be ever striving to do 
something for our God. The glory of His 
name, the honor of His cause, the advance- 
ment of His kingdom — oh, here is some- 



96 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

thing indeed worth striving for ! Let the 
world frown upon us ; let our riches take 
to themselves wings and fly away ; let pov- 
erty be our lot here; let us be counted as 
nothing in the estimate of our fellow-men: 
no matter, if we can, each of us in our little 
measure, adorn the doctrine of God our 
Saviour, and advance His glory in the 
world. 



CHAPTER VII. 

THE WORD OF GOD, THE NUTRIMENT OF 
THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

In the preceding chapters I have dwelt 
principally on the nature of the Christian 
life. I have shown you what it is to live 
without God. I have called your attention 
to the great Turning-point in the Christian 
Life. I have directed you to Christ, as the 
Centre of that Life — Himself the very life 
of the soul. I have described to you what 
it is to live to God ; and what is the great 
work, and also the chief end and object of 
the Christian Life. 

In the next four chapters I shall show 
you how this life is sustained and kept up in 
the soul. And I shall speak first of the 
Word of God, as the Nutriment of this 
spiritual life. May God help me to speak 
wisely and usefully ! 

God has called us to live to Him ; and 
He has made our happiness to consist in 
7 (97) 



93 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

doing so. Ten thousand are the ways by 
which He brings us from death unto life — 
by the voice of conscience ; by the gentle 
working of His Spirit ; by the preaching of 
His Word ; by some startling visitation ; 
by some arrow, shot perhaps at a venture, 
but directed to the heart by the Lord Him- 
self. Yes, He has not one method merely, 
but many, for raising a soul from the cold 
grave of sin and worldliness to the resurrec- 
tion life of grace. 

But God does not leave us there. Laz- 
arus, when a new life was granted to him, 
needed food to support his bodily frame : 
and so we need spiritual support. And 
God has specially provided it. Among 
those means of grace, which He has merci- 
fully appointed, His Word stands first and 
foremost, as the food and nourishment of 
the renewed soul. 

Let us consider the subject under these 
three heads — 

I. The Word of God is the appointed 
means of our spiritual instruction. 

II. That Word must be received into the 
soul, as its daily nourishment. 



THE WORD OF GOD. 99 

III. When so received, it brings joy and 
rejoicing to the heart. 

I. The Word of God is the appointed 
means of our instruction. 

I. God would have us know Him. Sup- 
pose we had been brought up without any 
instruction from our Parents, without a 
Minister to teach us, or without a Bible to 
make the truth of God known to us, what 
would be our state ? We should know 
nothing of God, nothing of a Saviour, noth- 
ing of the world before us. We might have 
a feeling of want in our breasts, w r hich noth- 
ing here could satisfy; a feeling of empti- 
ness, which nothing here could fill. We 
might guess that there was a God above ; 
and conscience might tell us that we have 
wronged Him, and strayed from His ways. 
But where could we look for pardon? 
Where could we find the desired atonement? 
We could know nothing of the Cross, noth- 
ing of a Saviour who has died, " the just for 
the unjust, to bring us to God." Something 
within might tell us that there is a world to 
come; but how dark and uncertain would 
be our views concerning it ! 



ioo THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

Blessed be God, He has revealed these 
things to us. He has made Himself known 
to us in His own Word. There we may 
read of His love in giving us a Saviour ; 
and there we are told of that Saviour dying 
for us, and of His having gone before us to 
prepare a place for His elect. 

The Bible teaches us to know God, and 
Jesus whom He hath sent. It is true that 
the mere /z^W-knowledge of this will not 
save us ; but if God give us His Holy Spirit 
to enlighten our minds, and to touch our 
hearts, then, as we read His Word, we shall 
get to know Him, to our comfort, peace, 
and salvation. 

2. God would also have us obey Him. He 
is the Lord of the world. And it is just in 
proportion as we obey Him that we shall 
be happy. Surely, if we are God's people, 
our grand inquiry will be how we may do 
His will ; how we may serve Him most 
effectually ; how we may please Him. 

And where can we learn this ? There is 
no voice from heaven now, saying to us on 
every occasion, " It shall be told thee 
what thou must do." God does not send 
His angels to us, as He did to Jacob or to 



THE WORD OF GOD. 101 

Manoah. He does not declare His mind 
to us in a vision, as He did to Paul. He 
does not send a special messenger to us, as 
He did to King Hezekiah, or to Cornelius 
the Centurion. All His counsel is written 
in that sacred Book which we possess. 
And as we read that Book, we may discover 
in its pages directions for a holy and a 
happy life. 

3. God would have us also to love Him. 
And how can we love Him, except we know 
Him ? And how can we shozv our love, 
but by obeying Him ? " If ye love me/' 
says our Lord, " keep my commandments." 

We are to love a Father whom we have 
never beheld, an unseen Saviour. But 
there, in the Bible, we have His glorious 
character placed before us. There we may 
see what He is, and what He has done for 
us. And thus our affections are drawn out, 
and our hearts won over to Him. 

Let any one read his Bible earnestly and 
with prayer, and his heart cannot but burn 
within him, as he pictures to himself the 
goodness, and mercy, and love of his Al- 
mighty Friend. And the more God's truth 
lays hold of his heart, the deeper and warmer 



102 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

will be his affection to Christ, who has done 
so much, and suffered so willingly for his 
sake. " We love Him, because He first 
loved us." 

Do you find it hard to love God, to love 
the Saviour — hard to lift your leaden heart 
from off the soil of this world, and to soar 
upwards on the wings of gratitude ? Read 
some passage in the Gospels or elsewhere, 
at the same time uttering a heartfelt prayer 
for a blessing ; and, though you may have 
read the passage many times before, God 
can and will make it the means of giv- 
ing fresh tenderness and fervor to your 
heart. 

II. This Word must be received into your 
soul as its daily nourishment. 

Our souls must be fed, as well as our 
bodies ; and I have shown that God has 
provided for this. He has given His Word 
to be the spiritual food of the new-born soul, 
"that we may grow thereby." 

Now bread and meat is of no use to the 
body, unless it is inwardly received by us. 
There may be an abundance of corn in our 
country ; there may be ample provisions in 



THE WORD OF GOD. 103 

our houses ; but if we do not feed upon 
them, we shall starve. 

So it is with God's Word. We may have 
the Bible on our shelves. It may be near 
us. We may see it day by day. We may 
even read it with our qv^s. And yet our 
souls may not be nourished. They may 
starve in the midst of plenty. 

God's Word must sink below the surface, 
down into our very hearts. " The entrance 
of thy words," says David, " giveth light; 
it giveth understanding to the simple." 
And again, " Thy word have I hid in my 
hearth 

What did the Prophet Jeremiah do with 
God's Word ? First he tells us that he 
found it, " Thy words were found." Have 
you found God's Word to be the most pre- 
cious treasure you can possess? You have 
had it within your reach all your life; but 
have you discovered its value ? 

A friend of mine was the possessor of a 
large tract of land. To the outward eye it 
seemed much like other land. Rut one day 
a bed of metal, called manganese, was dis- 
covered in one of his fields. From that 
moment the value of the field was increased 



104 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

twenty-fold in his eyes. The rich mine had 
existed there all along; but he knew it not. 

Perhaps it has been so with your Bible. 
Once you had it in your possession without 
knowing its value. But now you have 
found it out, to your exceeding joy. 

That was a great discovery which is men- 
tioned in 2 Kings, xxii., where we are told 
that Hilkiah the Priest found in some old 
chest belonging to the Temple a code of 
the law of Moses, which had been lost for 
years, and well-nigh forgotten. He goes 
immediately to Shaphan the scribe, and 
says, " I have found the Book of the law in 
the House of the Lord." Shaphan eagerly 
read it himself; and then took it to the 
King, and read some passages of it aloud 
to him. Good King Josiah knew well its 
value, and prized it accordingly. 

Martin Luther, too, the great German 
Reformer, who lived three hundred and 
fifty years ago, when we were all under the 
dark cloud of Romanism, one day was grop- 
ing about in the library of his convent, and 
is said to have come accidentally upon a 
copy of the Bible. It was to him as bread 
to the hungry. He feasted his soul upon 



THE WORD OF GOD. 105 

it ; and God brought it home to his inmost 
heart. That again was a great discovery. 

And so too in these days, when it pleases 
God by His Spirit to awaken any one, then 
the Bible becomes, as it were, a new book. 
The soul hungers for God's truth, and there 
it finds the nourishment it needs. * 

But Jeremiah tells us another thing. 
" Thy words were found," he says, i( and I 
did eat them." He fed upon them to the 
satisfying of his soul. 

Look upon God's Word in this light — as 
your spiritual nourishment. Say to your- 
self, " I want enlightening, comforting, 
strengthening. I will sit down to the read- 
ing of Scripture as I would to my meal. I 
will ask God to bless me, and feed me with 
this bread of life." 

You can use no better petitions than 
those of our well-known Collect, " Blessed 
Lord, who hast caused all Holy Scriptures 
to be written for our learning, grant that we 
may in such wise hear them, read, mark, 
learn, and inwardly digest them." Our or- 
dinary food, when swallowed, must be di- 
gested ; and so must the words of Scripture. 
We must think over them, meditate upon 



106 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

them, and let them sink down into our 
hearts. 

I believe that our Bible-reading would be 
a very different thing, if we came to it in 
this spirit. What is it to many of us ? A 
mere task, a dry, uninteresting duty which 
we feel it right to go through. No wonder 
that such persons find no benefit from their 
reading. They have no appetite for God's 
Word, and therefore they cannot say> " Thy 
words were found, and I did eat them." 

Remember, then, it must be your con- 
stant daily nourishment. When any one 
says, " I read my Bible sometimes" I can 
guess pretty well the state of that person's 
soul. What ! brethren, is it so with your 
ordinary meals ? Do you sit down to them 
only sometimes ? Do you let your dinner- 
hour or your supper-hour pass by, because 
you have other things to do ? Do you ever 
spend a day without food, and yet not so 
much as notice it ? If so, you cannot be 
in health. There must be something wrong 
with you. And if you have no appetite for 
God's Word, if you do not feel that your 
soul longs for this spiritual nourishment, all 
cannot be right with you. There cannot be 



THE WORD OF GOD. 107 

health within. If all was well with your 
soul, you would sooner suffer " a famine of 
bread, or a thirst of water," than of reading 
or " hearing the Word of the Lord." 

A real love for the Bible, a hungering for 
its truths which nothing but a constant 
daily reading of it will satisfy — this is a 
sure sign of a converted soul. 

Read the Bible then every day. Have 
your fixed hour for it, as you would for any 
one of your meals. Read it with earnest 
prayer for the teachings of the Spirit. Ask 
God to make it a nourishing word to you. 
This is the kind of reading that will do you 
good. Thus will your soul thrive. 

III. The Word, when so received, brings 
joy and rejoicing to the heart. I referred j ust 
now to Jeremiah. Well, he had "eaten," 
or fed upon, God's words. And what was 
the effect they produced upon his soul? 
Did this spiritual meal answer his expec- 
tation, or disappoint him ? Hear what he 
says, " Thy word was unto me the joy and 
rejoicing of my heart." This was his tes- 
timony. And such, too, was David's. He 
also ate the same spiritual food. And what 



108 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE, 

is his account of it? " How sweet are thy 
words unto my taste ! Yea, sweeter than 
honey unto my mouth ! " And Job's ex- 
perience is the same, " I have esteemed the 
words of thy mouth more than my nec- 
essary food." 

Fancy yourself for a moment in the des- 
erts between Jerusalem and Gaza. You 
see a man coming along in his chariot, and 
reading as he travels. He is very thought- 
ful. The Book he is intent upon is deeply 
interesting to him. He is an Eunuch of 
Ethiopia ; and he is reading a portion of 
the Prophet Isaiah. Presently one joins 
him, to whom that Book is familiar. He 
explains it to him. The Eunuch now sees 
that it speaks of Christ. At once a new 
light breaks in upon him. A new rill of 
joy is opened in his soul. He believes, 
and " goes on his way rejoicing!' 

Or again, fancy yourself in one of our 
English prisons some three hundred years 
ago. There you would have seen a vener- 
able man, a Minister of Christ, bound under 
sentence of death ; a prisoner of the Lord ; 
a martyr for the cause of Christ. As he 
sits in his solitary cell, there is one com- 



THE WORD OF GOD. 109 

panion that cheers him — a Companion that 
is for ever whispering to him, " Let not your 
heart be troubled, neither be afraid ;" " Re- 
joice, and be exceeding glad : for great is 
your reward in heaven." That Companion 
is his Bible, his precious Bible. That brings 
peace and comfort to his soul. 

Once more; go into some sick room, 
under a cottage roof. There will you find 
lying upon his bed some poor worn-out suf- 
ferer. He has lain there perhaps for months. 
Sleep seldom closes his eyes. He scarcely 
knows what it is to be free from pain. His 
pale countenance speaks plainly of a fatal 
disease within. And yet he is calm, peace- 
ful, and resigned. And more than this — 
he is happy. And what makes him so ? 
See him pull his well-worn Bible from 
beneath his pillow. And mark what a 
bright ray of hope beams upon his counte- 
nance, as he reads his morning Psalm, or 
traces the loving words of gospel truth. 
There Christ is made known to him, the 
great deliverer from sin and sorrow. 

Truly this brings "joy and rejoicing to 
the heart." Proud Pharisees may pass over 
the words of God with indifference, just as 



no THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

" the full soul loatheth an honeycomb ; " but 
the humble child of God will ever thank- 
fully exclaim, " Thy testimonies have I 
claimed as my heritage for ever." And 
why ? " They are the very joy of my 
heart." 

Let me then once more counsel you to 
take up your Bible as the meat and drink 
of your soul. If you wish to get your 
faith strengthened, your heart warmed, your 
spiritual knowledge deepened ; if you wish 
to stand firm on the rock, unshaken by the 
opinions of men ; if you wish to be a bold, 
strong, earnest Christian ; live upon God's 
Word ; get acquainted with its blessed 
truths ; feed upon those green pastures 
which He has provided for His flock. Do 
not be content with getting a few Scripture 
phrases upon your lips ; but get the spirit 
of Scripture into your heart. Get your soul 
leavened with its heavenly savor. This 
will bring you to know God and make you 
" wise unto salvation." 

One word more. Never take up the sa- 
cred volume without remembering that He, 
whose Book it is, must open its pages to 



THE WORD OF GOD. m 

your view. You cannot understand it ; you 
cannot feel its power ; unless God lifts up 
the veil from your heart. It will be to you 
" as the words of a book that is sealed,'' 
unless He unlocks it. Never do we want 
light and grace so much as when we are 
reading God's Word. And never. I believe, 
is He so ready to bestow it. 

The Lord enable you more and more to 
prize your Bible ! May you be ready to 
say, " I have found the Word of God to be 
precious to my soul. Once I cared more 
for the outside, than for its contents. Once 
it had a place on my table, but no place in 
my heart. Once I looked into it now and 
then as a matter of duty or to while away a 
half-hour. Now it is my constant com- 
panion, the food of my soul, the comfort, 
the delight, the joy and rejoicing of my 
heart/' 



CHAPTER VIII. 

PREACHING, A SAVING ORDINANCE IN THE 
CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

How is it that the Word of God is read 
for weeks and months together with so 
little profit? How is it that it is often 
preached with great ability, and with much 
earnestness, and yet it never gets beyond 
the outward ear of some who sit and listen 
to it ? The truth is, there are many hearts 
which the Word of God has never yet effectu- 
ally reached. A person may hear sermons 
with much attention ; he may thoroughly un- 
derstand what he hears, and store it up in his 
memory ; but if God's Word goes no farther 
than this, it will not be a saving word to 
his soul. If the Holy Spirit does not 
apply it to his conscience, very little good 
will be done. 

Now St. James, speaking of the Gospel, 
calls it, " the engrafted 'word." He uses this 

(112) 



PREACHING, A SAVING ORDINANCE. 113 

striking expression to show that it must not 
only be preached to us ; it must not only be 
sounded in our ears ; it must not only be 
listened to with gladness ; but it must work 
its way into our hearts. "Receive" he says, 
" the engrafted word." "Receive it," as you 
would a friend who is welcome to your house. 
You would not bid him stand at the door 
without. You would let him in, and give 
him a choice place by your hearth. "Receive 
it," as you would some remedy which was 
able to save your life. Surely you would 
not place the bottle by your bedside, and 
merely gaze upon it. You would eagerly 
drink its contents, as that which was likely 
to cure you. 

" The engrafted word ! " What is the proc- 
ess with a graft ? It is not enough to take 
the slip and fasten it on the tree ; but we 
must let let it into the tree, or else it will 
take no effect. Just so must the Word of 
God enter it; it must get below the surface, 
and touch the very heart. Thus David 
says, " The entrance of thy words giveth 
wisdom:" and again, "Thy word have/ 
hid in mine heart!' And St. Paul thus ex- 
horts us, " Let the word of Christ dwell in 
8 



114 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

you richly " — let it not only float in your 
fancy, but enter your heart, and lodge deep 
in your soul. 

But this expression seems to teach us 
something further. It teaches us that God's 
Word has a life-giving power : it must live 
within us. Should we be content to see 
the graft fixed ever so firmly in the tree ? 
No, it must live and grow there, and pro- 
duce a better and more abundant crop of 
fruit. And so too must it be with God's 
Word. It must be a living word within us. 
It must work a mighty change there. Its 
power must be felt within. 

Have you thus received the Word ? You 
have heard it again and again. It may be, 
you have listened to it with deep attention. 
You have been struck by it. Perhaps the 
Preacher's words have made you thought- 
ful for the moment. You have gone home 
with deep searchings of heart. You have 
had a glimpse, as it were, of the world to 
come. You have been forced to look into 
your own heart. You have seen it to be 
very sinful, and you have felt your pressing 
need of a Saviour. But have you received 
the Word ? Have you heartily welcomed 



PREACHING, A SAVING ORDINANCE. 115 

it to your soul ? If it be indeed grafted by 
the Master's hand, you will know it by 
this token — it will be fruitful ; it will spring 
up. 

It does indeed make one sad to think, on 
how few hearts the Word of God takes 
real and saving effect ! How many listen 
and listen, and yet come short of being 
converted ! Some seed falls by the way- 
side ; and it is soon snatched away. Some 
falls, as we fancy, into welcome ears ; but it 
takes no root. And some too is quickly 
choked by the stifling business, and cares, 
and worry of the world. Thank God it does 
sometimes light upon a better soil ; and 
there it sinks in, and grows, and brings 
forth fruit unto life eternal. 

Take heed how you hear. It is not a 
light matter to listen to a sermon. That 
sermon may be for the saving or the con- 
demning of your soul. Every sermon you 
hear is for eternity. And just as the stroke 
of the blacksmith's hammer either makes 
the iron harder, or breaks it in pieces, so it 
is with the preached Gospel. Be sure, it 
never leaves any one as it finds him. It 
either makes his heart tender, or it leaves 



n6 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

him more hardened than before. It is 
either "the savor of life unto life," or the 
" savor of death," to his soul. 

But let us inquire, how we should receive 
the Word. There is something that we 
must leave behind, and something that we 
must bring with us, to the hearing of God's 
Word. 

We must leave behind our Pride. The 
man who comes to church with a proud, 
self-satisfied spirit is pretty sure to get no 
good for his soul. It is " the hungry " whom 
God loves to fill with the good things of 
His Gospel ; but " the rich " (those who 
fancy that they have need of nothing) " He 
sends empty away." It has been well said 
that "it is only a broken heart, that can 
receive a crucified Christ." 

The World too must be left behind. 
How many think of the world, and the 
world only, all the six days of the week. 
Ay, and even on the Sabbath morning, the 
world still occupies their thoughts and 
hearts. When the hour of service comes,* 
they hurry off to the House of God ; and 
then they find themselves but little disposed 




PREACHING, A SAVING ORDINANCE. 117 

for Prayer, and ill prepared to listen to the 
Word. And what wonder is it that it 
should be so ? The world has been allowed 
to have full sway over them ; is it to be 
expected then that they should be able in a 
moment to put it aside at their bidding? 
No, it still hovers around them. It clings 
to them, and they cannot shake it off. It 
creeps in as their companion in the very 
House of God. It stands by them, when 
they are upon their knees. It fills their 
minds, when they would be thinking of 
God. It blocks up the door of their hearts, 
lest the good seed should enter in. The 
minister of Christ speaks words of solemn 
moment ; but the heart is too full of earthly 
cares, and plans, and pleasures, to receive 
them. Like the inn at Bethlehem, there is 
no room there to welcome Christ. Yes, the 
world must be left behind, if we would profit 
by God's ordinance. 

And there is yet another thing, too, that 
must be laid aside ; and that is, Sin. In the 
words, which I just now quoted, St. James 
speaks of " laying apart all filthiness and 
naughtiness;" and then, he says, "Receive 
the engrafted word." The heart must be 



n8 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

cleared out and emptied, before God's truth 
can lodge within us. Ah, here is the secret 
reason why so many are moved by sermons, 
and are yet unchanged by them ; so many 
are fully convinced, and yet remain uncon- 
verted. They feel persuaded that sin is 
ruining their souls, and that Christ alone 
can make them happy ; that if they could 
only give their whole hearts to Him, they 
would feel a joy which they have hitherto 
missed. And yet they do not close with 
Christ. And why ? Because they love their 
sins better. You will find perhaps hereafter 
that there was some sin — some little sin — 
some secret, hidden, heart sin — which you 
would not give up ; and that that sin kept 
you from Christ, and hindered you from 
entering: His blessed kingdom. 

Oh, if your conscience whispers, "Alas ! 
so it is with me," I would affectionately 
urge you forthwith to part with that sin, 
whatever it may be, and however much it 
may cost you. Part with it. though it be 
dearer to you than a right hand or a right 
eye, or you must never hope to see God. 

But there is not only something which 



PREACHING, A SAVING ORDINANCE. 119 

must be laid aside, but also something that 
we must bring with its to the hearing of 
God's truth. Here, again, we will take St. 
James's words. The apostle says, " Receive 
with meekness the engrafted word." A hum- 
ble, meek, and teachable spirit is what we 
want. And this is the frame of mind that 
God will bless. God loves to teach the 
humble, child-like heart: "The meek will 
he guide in judgment, and the meek will he 
teach his way. 4t Pride nips the tender bud, 
and no fruit is brought to perfection. If we 
go to the house of God to pass judgment 
on the sermon we hear, and to set up our 
own wisdom against God's teaching, sure I 
am that we shall hear in vain. But every 
true servant of God will come with a mind 
to obey. He only waits for a discovery of 
the truth, and then he will follow it. His 
language is like that of* Job, "What I see 
not, teach thou me." He is ready to say 
with Cornelius, "We are all here present 
before God, to hear all things that are com- 
manded thee of God." 

Whether you open your Bible at home, 
and sit down to read it, or whether you 
come to the house of God to listen to the 



120 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

preaching of it, be humble ; for it is not 
man that speaks, but God. Remember your 
need of a heavenly Teacher. Put up a 
secret prayer to God, that He would clear 
away the mist from before you, and shine 
upon His own Word. Entreat the Holy 
Spirit to apply the truth to your heart, and 
to take of the things of Christ, and show 
them to you. Thus will those truths, which 
hitherto perhaps have been hidden from 
your soul, break in with new life, shedding 
peace and joy into your heart. 

But just consider, brethren, the wonder- 
ful power there is in God's Word. It is 
" able to save the soul " — not merely to en- 
lighten, to comfort, to quicken — but to save. 

What ! you may say, can God's Word 
save? Is not this too much to declare? 
When received into the heart, and engrafted 
there by the hand of God, it has saved, and 
it does save. We do not mean that it has 
power in itself to save a soul, but that 
it is an instrument which God uses for 
this purpose. It is the hammer by which 
He breaks the rock in pieces, and then 
puts it together in His own best way. 



PREACHING, A SAVING ORDINANCE. 121 

Neither do we mean that the Word saves a 
man in a moment — at once. Salvation is a 
work that must not only be begun, but 
carried on, in the heart of a child of God. 
He is not saved by a single sermon. His 
attention may be powerfully aroused, and 
he may be led to seek salvation in earnest. 
He may be set forward on the road that 
leads to heaven. But he needs continual 
grace and teaching, before he safely reaches 
his journey's end. 

But how does the Word do this ? How 
does it save ? It saves a man by first show- 
ing him that he is ruined, that he is under 
the wrath of God, and that he cannot save 
himself. What a blessing when we have 
learnt this lesson — when we stand stript of 
our own righteousness, pleading guilty be- 
fore God ! Happy for us if the Word of 
God has taught us this. It is one thing 
to acknowledge our guilt; but it is quite 
another thing to feel it, — to feel sin as a 
burden weighing down our souls, that we 
long to get rid of. 

Well, this is part of the teaching of God's 
Word, when applied to the heart by the 
Spirit. It convinces of sin. It brings us 



122 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

to a stand. It leads us to cry out with all 
earnestness, " I am a sinful man ; God be 
merciful to me." This is one stage of that 
blessed process by which the Word saves ; 
it shows us our absolute need of a Saviour. 

But, thank God, we are not left there. 
This is only a part of the work, though a 
most important part ; for, until the sick 
man is made conscious of his disease, he will 
care little for the physician. 

But the Gospel not only reveals to us 
our disease and our danger, but also our 
remedy. It says to the convinced and 
trembling sinner, " Behold the Lamb of God, 
which taketh away the sin of the world ! " 
This is the glory of our message. This is 
the blessed errand on which we are sent to 
you — to tell you of God's love — of Christ's 
atonement — that the door of heaven stands 
open to you. We pray you, in Christ's 
stead, be ye reconciled to God. 

Thus does the engrafted Word save. 
When it comes with quickening power to 
the soul, it awakens men from their slum- 
ber ; it lays bare their hearts : it shows 
them that they are undone ; it points to the 
cross ; it tells them of a fountain, in which 



PREACHING, A SAVING ORDINANCE. 123 

they may wash and be clean : and it tells 
them too of that indwelling Spirit, who 
can make them meet and fit to dwell with 
God above. 

How great are the triumphs of God's 
Word ! What did it effect on the day of 
Pentecost ? And what has it effected since ? 
Has there never been a time in our own 
experience, when we have felt sad and 
down-hearted ? We have looked for com- 
fort, and found it not. We have gone to 
our Bible, with a secret prayer, that God 
would give His blessing ; and then He Him- 
self has shone upon its pages. The dark, 
heavy cloud has passed away, and some 
bright ray from His everlasting truth has 
beamed in upon us with its cheering light ; 
so that we have got up gladdened and re- 
joicing. And is there not many a one who 
owes all his happiness to the simple preach- 
ing of God's truth ? He was once careless 
and worldly ; but he went to the Lord's 
house, and there his attention was arrested, 
and his conscience pricked. He heard, he 
listened, he believed. He became an al- 
tered man. 

Are we going too far then when we speak 



124 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

of this as the great instrument in God's 
hands for saving souls ? Oh, it is saving 
many, daily and hourly ! May it save many 
more ! May the words spoken from our 
pulpits never be spoken in vain ! Shall we 
not, one and all, pray, and that earnestly, 
that God may be pleased to make His 
house a " Bethesda," " a house of mercy," to 
numbers who meet within its walls — a 
place where they may get light, and comfort, 
and peace to their souls — that God will 
pour out upon those who worship there 
" the Spirit of grace and of supplications " — 
and that He will give life and power to His 
own Word? Ask for this. Ask God to 
give to yourself and others what we so 
much need, the quickening, sanctifying, 
comforting influence of His grace. 



CHAPTER IX. 

PRAYER, THE BREATH OF THE CHRISTIAN 
LIFE. 

What an important moment that is, 
when a living child comes into the world ! 
How great is the anxiety with which a 
mother listens to the first breathing, or hears 
the first faint cry, of the new-born babe ! 
That cry, which only disturbs and annoys 
others, is sweet to her ear. 

Ah, there is a Parent who feels more for 
us than even a mother does for her little 
ones. A woman may forget her sucking 
child, and not have compassion on the fruit 
of her womb ; but God cannot lose His 
tenderness. He is love itself. The first 
breathing of new life in His children, the 
first cry which is sent up to Him from a 
heart in distress, fills heaven with joy. 
Now, Prayer is the breathing of a new- 
born soul. It is the first sign of life. 

I am to speak in this chapter about 

(125) 



1 26 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

Prayer, which I have called, " the Breath of 
the Christian life." Blessed subject ! May- 
God teach us what Prayer is, and quicken 
us in the exercise of it ! 

What is Prayer ? 

Ask the Worldly-minded man. He will 
tell you what it is to him. It is something 
which he knows he ought to do ; something 
which he has been brought up to do ; some- 
thing which his conscience will not let him 
leave altogether undone. But he has no 
pleasure in it. It is irksome to him. He is 
glad enough when it is over. 

Ask the Pharisee — the Formalist. He 
seems to think that it is the mere utterance 
of words ; the mere repeating certain holy 
sentences on his knees ; the mere outward 
acknowledgment that God is the great 
Giver of all things. 

But we can go to better teachers than 
these. 

Ask David what prayer is. "As for me, I 
will call upon God ; " "I will cry unto God 
most high ; " " I cried with my whole heart ; 
I prevented the dawning of the morning ; " 
"As the hart (or stag) panteth after the 



PR A YER, BREA TH OF CHRISTIAN LIFE. 127 

water-brooks, so panteth my soul after Thee, 
O God : my soul thirsteth for God." 

Ask Jacob. He will tell you that it is a 
" wrestling " with God. 

Ask Daniel. It was something real with 
him. Not even the wrath of the king could 
close his lips. He prayed three times a- 
day, though at the risk of his life. 

Ask Saul of Tarsus. " Go to him, 
Ananias," said the Lord ; " behold he 
prayeth." 

Ask that penite7it Prodigal, when from 
his wounded, aching heart those words 
came streaming forth, " Father, I have 
sinned against heaven and in thy sight, and 
am no more worthy to be called thy son." 

Ask the Publican, as he stands in the 
House of God, smiting his breast. Few 
words indeed he spoke ; but they were 
earnest, burning words, which came forth 
from the very depths of his heart. 

Ask the holy Saviour. He spent whole 
nights in prayer ; not because He was 
obliged to pray, but because He found com- 
fort in prayer. 

Once more, let us ask Jeremiah, who 
wrote the Book of Lamentations. He says 



128 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

in the 55th verse of the third chapter, " I 
called upon thy name, O Lord, out of the 
low dungeon. Thou hast heard my voice : 
hide not thine ear at my breathing, at my 
cry. Thou drewest near in the day that I 
called upon thee ; thou saidst, Fear not." 

" Prayer," observes a Christian writer, 
" is human need craving the Divine fulness ; 
the wretchedness of earth begging the con- 
solations of Heaven ; man's guilt beseech- 
ing the mercy of God. By prayer the help- 
lessness of the creature clings to the strength 
of the Creator. Prayer is a voice from 
Nature's womb, calling to the Heavenly 
Healer. All creation prays. The little 
plant droops its head, and curls its leaves; 
and thus asks for moisture. The sheep 
that has lost its lamb, fills the air with its 
piteous bleating. The dog howls when he 
is hungry ; and he has been known to en- 
treat you, almost with the power of speech, 
to follow him to the lonely spot, where his 
master lies wounded and bleeding." 

Every child of God prays. Where there 
is spiritual life there must, and will, be 
prayer. As surely as a living man breathes, 
so surely will a living soul pray. We have 



PR A YER, BREA TH OF CHRISTIAN LIFE. I 29 

many and great wants, especially spiritual 
wants ; but it is only when we are brought 
under God's converting grace, that we begin 
to feel those wants. 

Let me now give you some hints about 
your every-day prayers. I trust that many 
of you have a real wish to live a Christian 
life, and that you are ready to welcome any 
directions which we can give you. 

First, then, as to the particular Kind of 
Prayer that we are now speaking about — 
Private Prayer. Other Prayer is also need- 
ful. It is very good for us to meet in the 
House of God for Public Worship. A pe- 
culiar blessing seems to be promised us 
when we do so. Christ pledges Himself to 
be in the midst of us. It is good for us 
too to assemble our families for prayer. 

But it is Private, Closet prayer that I am 
now dwelling upon. And how needful this 
is ! How necessary for us to get apart from 
our fellow-men, and draw near to our heav- 
enly Friend in the silence of our chambers ! 
I believe, if there was more of such prayer, 
and more earnestness in it, there would be 
9 



130 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

more advance in the spiritual life, more grow- 
ing up unto Christ in all things. 

When we call it " Closet Prayer," we are 
using our Lord's own words ; for He says, 
"And thou, when thou prayest, enter into 
thy closet!' Some of us have no difficulty 
here. We have our own quiet rooms, where 
we may go, and no one will disturb us. Be 
thankful for it. Enter into thy closet. Let 
the walls of it witness to many a fervent 
prayer offered there. Remember, God is 
near, and never so near as when we are 
calling upon Him. Open your heart to 
Him. Tell Him of all your wants. Go to 
Him in all your trials. Let Him be your 
Friend, to whom you fly in every season ; 
your Counsellor \ whom you love to consult ; 
the Companion, with whom you delight to 
hold intercourse. 

But some have no private room, where 
they can be alone — no door which they can 
close, so as to shut out all interruption. 
Some are so much mixed up with the busy 
world that they are seldom at home. But still 
there is a way of feeling ourselves alone 
even in a crowd, even amidst the bustle of 
life. The noisy room, the crowded work- 



PRA YER, BREATH OF CHRISTIAN LIFE. 131 

shop, the open field, or the roadside, may 
be our closet. And God can and will hear 
us there, if we call upon Him. We can lift 
up our hearts without lifting up our voices. 
We need not be alone to do this. The 
silent breathing of the soul is sufficient. 

Next, as to the Manner of our prayers. 

There must be earnestness. Jeremiah 
speaks of it as a cry ; " Hide not thine ear 
at my cry." 

When Esau had been cheated of his 
father's blessing, what earnestness there was 
in his complaint ! We are told that " when 
he heard the words of his father, he cried 
with a great and exceeding bitter cry, and 
said unto his father, Bless me, even me, O 
my father." Such, too, was the cry of the 
Israelites, when their spirit was almost bro- 
ken by the cruelty they met with in Egypt. 

" They sighed by reason of the bondage, 
and they cried ; and their cry came up unto 
God by reason of the bondage. And 
God heard their groaning, and God remem- 
bered His covenant." 

I have been present at death-beds, when 
the slumbering soul has at length woke up, 
and cried imploringly for mercy. 



132 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

We have heard of shipwrecks, too, and 
of the piercing cries that have been uttered, 
when those on board felt that death was 
near. I lately read of one, who, while wan- 
dering along a lonely and rocky shore when 
the tide was down, slipped his foot into a 
narrow crevice. To his horror, he found he 
could not withdraw his imprisoned limb. 
There he sat, with his face to the ap- 
proaching waves ; he knew that, as the tide 
came in, it would rise upon him inch by 
inch, till it washed over his head. Did he 
cry for help ? Yes, w r e may be sure he did ; 
and who could doubt his earnestness? He 
cried, but none heard him. He saw here 
and there a boat in the distance ; but his 
signal did not attract their notice. How he 
must have envied the very sea-gull, as it 
skimmed the air above his head ! And as 
he watched the waters rising inch by inch, 
his cries never ceased, till the last wave 
swelled up, and washed the dying shriek 
from his lips. 

There was no help for liim. There is for 
us. " Call unto me, and I will answer thee," 
says our Lord. And why should any of us 
be less earnest than the man on the sea- 



PR A YER, BREA TH OF CHRISTIAN LIFE. 133 

shore was ? Our past sins, and our present 
iniquities, press upon us ; and we need par- 
don. Temptation assails us each day and 
each hour of our lives ; and we need help. 
We are poor, and blind, and weak ; and we 
need strength from God. 

Then, do not look upon prayer as a thing 
which may be shuffled over in a few mo- 
ments ; as a duty which may be engaged in 
sleepily and carelessly : but let us look 
upon it as a thing into which we must put 
our whole hearts. Let it be a cry from our 
inmost souls. 

There must also be reality in our prayers. 
Our prayers must be real. It is very easy 
to speak words which we do not feel. Our 
lips get into the way of uttering what our 
hearts deny. We often speak, for instance, 
very humbly of ourselves, when perhaps 
there is no humility within. We acknowl- 
edge before God that we are sinners, when 
all the while sin is not felt by us. We ask 
for grace, without having any desire for it. 

Be real. Be honest with God. Say 
nothing to Him which is not strictly true. 
And if you cannot feel in your heart what 



134 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

your head tells you that you ought to feel, 
ask God that the feeling may be given you. 

Again, pray often. Will once, twice, 
three times a-day be enough ? some one will 
perhaps ask. Yes, it will be enough, and 
too much, for us, if our souls are asleep. It 
will be too much, if our minds are engrossed 
with this world. We shall have no time 
for prayer. There are other things to take 
up our thoughts. We are too busy for such 
a work as this. Ah, try and plead this with 
God ; " I am too busy." Try and say it to 
Him, this night in your prayers ; " Lord, I 
have no time to seek Thee." You dare not. 
Will you plead it in your dying hour, or at 
the judgment day? Will you say, " I had 
no time?" Rather say the truth; "I had 
no heart for prayer ; I lived to gain the 
world. I gained it : but I lost my soul." 

Be often in prayer, O believer. Thy 
Father hears thee. He is ready to answer 
thee. Be often in His presence. Your 
prayers may not be always expressed. There 
may be no utterance. Your petition may 
be sent up to heaven, without any cry being 
heard. Remember, prayer is the breath of 
a soul. It may be but a gentle breathing, 



PR A YER, BREATH OF CHRISTIAN LIFE. 135 

and yet God can hear it. Think of Jere- 
miah's words, " Hide not thine ear at my 
breathing!' 

A few words now about the Difficulties 
we find in our prayers. 

Perhaps this has been a difficulty with 
you — If God orders everything, and has 
planned beforehand everything that happens, 
what is the use of my praying ? But surely 
if this stops the wheels of prayer, it ought 
also to stop the wheels of business. You 
might say, If God has ordained that I and 
my family should be well off in the world, 
it will be so ; whether I provide for them or 
not. Or again, one might argue that if God 
has determined whether I shall live to old 
age or not, I shall reach that age which He 
has fixed upon ; and therefore it matters 
not whether I am careful or not about my 
health or my safety. You will see then at 
once the folly of making God's forethought 
a reason why we should not pray. 

You may feel another difficulty. Do you 
not often find it very hard to get your hearts 
in tune for prayer ? You know not how it 



136 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

is, but you seldom are in the humor for it. 
I will tell you how it is. You give your- 
self up to the world. You lose sight of 
heaven perhaps all day. And therefore no 
wonder that you cannot, when the hour of 
prayer comes, bring your mind to seek 
God. You come to the throne of grace 
with your heart loaded with the plans, the 
toils, the difficulties, the disappointments, 
the irritations of the day. You come, drag- 
ging the world with you into God's presence. 
And the consequence is you feel ready for 
anything else rather than prayer. It must 
be so, if the world is allowed to have full 
dominion over your heart. 

Now if you suffer from this sad feeling — 
if this is indeed your unhappy experience — 
do not be tempted to think that it is better 
to give up prayer, when your heart is not 
in tune for it. Rather try and shake the 
world off; for if it hinders you in prayer, it 
will certainly be in the way of your reach- 
ing heaven. The Prophet complained of 
the Jews in his day, " None stirreth himself tip 
to take hold on thee." We must arouse our- 
selves. We must stir up our drowsy hearts, 
and ask God to put us into a better frame. 



PR A YER, BREA TH OF CHRISTIAN LIFE. 137 

Yes, and I will go farther, and say, If a 
man has so much worldly business on his 
hands, that it occupies all his thoughts, and 
calls away his mind from higher and holier 
things, let him give up his business — let him 
part with his earthly cares — rather than for- 
feit heaven. It is better to beg in the streets, 
than to die rich, but unsaved. 

There is another complaint, which even 
God's people sometimes make. They do 
not experience that enjoyment in prayer 
which they hear so many speak of. 

If our hearts are not right with God, there 
can be no enjoyment in prayer. An impeni- 
tent man has no heart to pray. David once 
said, " Thy servant hath found in his heart 
to pray this prayer unto thee." But an im- 
penitent, worldly man has no such thing in 
his heart. He finds there no desire for God. 
The work of prayer is unsuited to his taste. 
He may force himself into it for a time, but 
he cannot love it : it is impossible. 

Hide not from yourself this truth, that the 
entire absence of joy in prayer is a sad but 
sure sign that you are a stranger to true 
religion. But I was rather speaking of 
those who are serving God, and yet com- 



138 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

plain that they do not find the joy they 
could wish in praying. How is this ? Per- 
haps we are not living so near to God as we 
might live. There is a lack of close inter- 
course with Him. There is too wide a gap 
between Him and our souls. We have 
taken Him perhaps as our hope and our 
refuge, but not as the friend of our daily 
life. Surely, if we knew Him better, and 
walked more closely with Him, we should 
soon feel the real enjoyment of conversing 
with Him in prayer. Our moments of de- 
votion would be our happiest moments. 
The hour of prayer would indeed be to us 
a blessed hour. 

There are times, I dare say, when you 
feel warmth. Your heart glows within you, 
and God seems to be very near to you. 
And then you grow cold again, and the 
spirit of prayer flags within you. Now, did 
you ever try to keep up this warmth of feel- 
ing ? Did you ever make a direct effort to 
do so ? It may be done by meditation, by 
watchfulness, and by fixing the heart on 
God. When the fire burns in your soul, 
keep it alight. Don't let it go out. Be- 
seech God to fan the flame, and to make 



PRAYER, BREATH OF CHRISTIAN LIFE. 139 

you feel, not sometimes but always, in an 
earnest, believing, loving frame. 

Lastly, who does not feel that his mind 
is sadly apt to wander in prayer ? This is a 
great difficulty with any one who prays. 
But I am sure that if we were more watch- 
ful, this might, in a great measure, be got 
over. 

When you kneel down, think what you 
are going to do, whom you are going to ad- 
dress, and what you are going to ask. Re- 
member you are in the presence of the 
Great King, your Almighty Father; there- 
fore, as Solomon says, " Be not rash with 
thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty 
to utter anything before God." 

I have sometimes found it good to walk 
up and down my room, when engaged in 
prayer. I would not recommend this as a 
regular habit ; but it may be desirable occa- 
sionally, and especially when our minds are 
disposed to wander. 

After all, the very best of us pray but 
very poorly. But if we make a conscience 
of our prayers, and if we desire to render 
them what they should be, God will 
strengthen us. The Holy Spirit will " help 



140 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

our infirmities, " teaching us what to ask, and 
how to ask, and giving us such a praying 
frame as will make us feel that it is good 
for us to draw near to God. 

Be encouraged to pray more earnestly, 
more frequently, and with more reality. 
When you send a message by the telegraph, 
you expect it to reach its destination ; you 
expect it to accomplish the purpose for 
which it is sent. Expect the same with 
your prayers. Lose this idea of reality, and 
your devotion will droop ; your prayer will 
become a mere form. It has been said by 
an old writer, that " Good prayers never 
come weeping home." No, they are quite 
sure to bring down a blessing from Him, 
who is so ready to give, and has so much to 
bestow. 



CHAPTER X. 

THE LORD'S DAY, THE HOLIDAY OF THE 
CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

A " Holiday," or "Festival," used to be 
the name given to those days which the 
Church specially sets apart to be observed 
by her children. The Passover, Pentecost, 
and the Sabbath were counted as Holidays 
by the Jews ; and Christmas, Easter, Ascen- 
sion Day, Whitsuntide, and the Lord's Day, 
are Holidays in the. Christian Church. 

But as no work was done on these days, 
they were by degrees turned into seasons 
of worldly rejoicing; so that the word "Holi- 
day " got at length to signify a day of liberty 
— a day of pleasure — in short, any day when 
public business was put aside. 

I have called the Lord's Day " the Holiday 
of the Christian Life." But you will, of 
course, understand that I use the expression 
in its best and highest sense — in the same 

(HO 



142 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

sense as Moses used it in Exodus, xxxv. 2, 
where he says, "Six days shall work be done, 
but on the seventh day there shall be to 
you an holy day, a sabbath of rest to the 
Lord." In the same sense too as it is used 
in Isaiah, lviii. 13, " If thou turn away thy 
foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleas- 
ure on my holy day!' And in the same 
sense that David uses it in the forty-second 
Psalm. 

These last words want a little explaining 
to make them clear. They are supposed to 
have been written by David at a time when 
he was away from his own home, and cut 
off from the comforting ordinances of the 
sanctuary. In the first verse, he expresses 
his holy longing for God : "As the hart 
panteth after the water-brooks, so panteth 
my soul after thee, O God. My soul 
thirsteth for God, the living God ; when 
shall I come and appear before God " — that 
is, appear before Him in His courts? In 
the third verse, he mentions the taunts with 
which his ungodly enemies assailed him, 
" My tears have been my meat day and 
night, while they continually say unto me, 
i Where is thy God ? " Then, in the fourth 



THE L ORDS DAY A HO LID A V. 143 

verse, he calls to remembrance the joy and 
comfort, which he used to experience in 
Public Worship with his brethren ; " When 
I remember these things, I pour out my 
soul in me ; for I had gone with the multi- 
tude; I went with them to the house of 
God, with the voice of joy and praise, with 
a multitude that kept Holy-Day!' 

The expression " holyday " or " holiday," 
when speaking of our Christian Sabbath, is 
a very delightful one to my mind. For it 
gives us the idea of a sacred day set apart 
for God ; also of a day of rest, and yet a busy 
day ; and, further, of a joyful, happy day. 

Let us take this view of it. And may 
the Lord ever make His own day a day of 
many blessings to our souls ! 

First, Look upon your Sundays as sacred 
days f set apart for God. 

One day in seven has been a consecrated 
day from the very first. In Genesis, ii. we 
read of Adam having his Sabbath in the 
garden of Eden. Then, in giving His com- 
mands to the Jews, the Lord laid great 
stress on the observance of the Sabbath. 
He made the breaking of it a most serious 



144 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

offence. Again, when He rained down 
Manna from heaven for His people in the 
wilderness, this remarkable fact occurred — 
although on every day the ground was 
strewed with this heaven-sent food, not a 
particle appeared on the seventh day ; and 
yet they had enough to last them during 
that day also. Thus did He constantly 
remind His people of its sacredness. 

When our Lord came on earth, He 
observed the Sabbath, doing only works of 
mercy or of necessity upon it. We find the 
early Christians meeting together, not on 
the last day of the week as heretofore, but 
on the first, in honor of our Lord's resur- 
rection. They met for Prayer, and for the 
Breaking of bread. And Christians have 
always observed this blessed custom up to 
the present time. I do believe that a marked 
blessing rests on that family, and on that 
individual, who honors God's day. The 
promise still holds good, " Blessed is the 
man who doeth this, and the son of man 
that layeth hold on it, that keepeth the 
Sabbath from polluting it. Even unto them 
will I give in mine house and within my 



THE LORD 'S DAY A HO LID A Y. 145 

walls a place and a name better than of 
sons and daughters." 

Thank God, the sacredness of the Chris- 
tian Sabbath is observed in this our land. 
That would be a sad day for America, if its 
strictness should be set aside, and the world 
should be allowed to come in upon us like 
a flood, and overwhelm us with its daily 
cares and occupations. And that would be* 
a sad day for any one of us, if we were to 
break down the partition wall which parts 
off this from every other day, and think 
lightly of the ordinance of God. 

Learn, then, to look upon the Lord's Day 
as the day which is peculiarly His own — 
not yours, but His. He calls it His own. 
He claims it as His own. Let us give it to 
Him as His right, willingly and cheerfully. 
Just as the Bible is different from other 
books, so Sunday is different from other 
days. Other books are men's words : the 
Bible is God's word. So other days are 
man's in which he may labor : this day is 
the Lord's. 

It is true, that on Sunday the sun rises and 
sets as usual. The winds and the rain come 
down as at other times. But in this Chris- 



146 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

tian land everything puts on, as it were, its 
Sunday dress : there is a stillness and 
quietness about the day which remind us 
that it is the Sabbath of the Lord. Oh, that 
our hearts may be fitted by God to enter 
into the full spirit of this heavenly appoint- 
ment. 

Secondly, the Lord's day is a day of Rest, 
The old Jewish word Sabbath signifies 
" rest." And if you remember, when God 
first set apart the seventh day, it was to 
mark His having rested on that day from 
the great work of creation. It is written, 
"And God blessed the seventh day, and 
sanctified it : because that in it He had 
rested from all His work which God created 
and made." 

But it was appointed for our sake ; that 
we, who so much need rest might enjoy it. 
And here we see the great goodness of God 
— for though He condemned us to hard 
labor on account of our sin, yet He gave 
us a weekly Holyday to refresh us. 

We all need rest. If a laborer were to 
toil on without any pause, his health would 
fail, his spirits would flag, his bodily frame 



THE LORD'S DAY A HOLIDAY, 147 

would give way. It is in mercy then to 
our bodies that the Lord, from the very first, 
appointed a resting-day from labor ; and in 
mercy also to our souls. For do not our 
Sundays often come very seasonably to call 
us back from our worldliness ? How need- 
ful are they to remind us of our Father in 
heaven, and of our Home above ! And how 
sweet to the Christian traveller are these 
weekly stages in his course, as he journeys 
onward to a better country ! 

It is remarkable, that during the time of 
the French Revolution, some seventy years 
ago, when many things that were right 
were overturned, and a lawless and ungodly 
spirit reigned throughout the land, the 
Lord's Day in France was set aside. But 
it was soon found that, even for the body's 
sake, a resting day was absolutely needful ; 
and one day in ten was publicly appointed 
for that purpose. But this lasted only for a 
short time, and men soon discovered that 
God had chosen wisely for them ; and they 
gladly returned to the seventh day of rest, 
which he had so mercifully ordained. 

I feel assured that no one who reads this 
book would think of putting on his working 



148 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

clothes, and doing his usual labor, on the 
Lord's Day. He would feel it to be a direct 
insult to God. He would expect a curse to 
rest upon him, if he thus broke the Lord's 
command. And yet for money some will 
work. For gain some will dare to set aside 
the solemn command of God. 

There is a large amount of buying and 
selling carried on in some parts of London. 
And if we could visit some of the back 
streets of that great city on the Sabbath, we 
should find much to shock our minds. 
And then, on our Canals and Railway 
Lines, how fearfully is the sacredness of the 
Lord's Day broken in upon ! How many 
are travelling simply for their own con- 
venience, not from necessity ! And how 
many poor men are forced to labor for the 
selfish gratification of others ! It has been 
lately ascertained that 70,000 persons are 
employed in connexion with railway trav- 
elling on Sundays : 70,000 men are com- 
pelled to break the plain command of God ! 
And let us remember that each individual 
traveller, who needlessly takes part in this 
Sabbath desecration, is himself guilty of 
breaking that law by which he will one day 



THE LORD'S DAY A HOLIDAY. 149 

be judged; nay, more, he is guilty of caus- 
ing others to break it; and their blood will 
be upon him. 

But why do I speak of this ? My voice 
will not reach those who are the instigators 
in this system of Sabbath-breaking. And 
if it did reach them, it would be no easy 
matter to bring conviction home to the con- 
sciences of men who act in a body. When 
M hand joins in hand," there is a sort of feel- 
ing that guilt will go " unpunished." But I 
speak for your sake. Oh, do not take the 
smallest part in this ungodly act. It may be 
more convenient for you to make a journey 
on the Lord's Day. And why so? Be- 
cause you can do it without neglecting your 
ordinary work. Because you can do it, and 
yet appear to the world as if you reverenced 
God's Sabbath. Ah ! but you cannot do it 
without pouring contempt on God's ordi- 
nance, and putting your own pleasure or 
convenience before His will. 

I know there are times when necessity is 
laid upon us, and then the act is allowable. 
But let us satisfy ourselves that it is abso- 
lutely necessary, or else as Christians we must 
refrain. 



150 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

Again, I know how difficult it is for a poor 
man to leave his home on any other day. 
However, let him look at the matter con- 
scientiously, and I am sure he will be guided 
to do what is right. 

But when I say that God's day is a day 
of rest, I do not mean to speak merely of 
travelling or laboring on that day. There 
are other works besides those that meet the 
eye, which are an offence to God. The Mas- 
ter, for instance, who takes no pains to re- 
lieve his servant from labor, but sees him 
staying away from the Lord's house that he 
may mind his earthly concerns ; the man 
who makes Sunday a day for letter-writing, 
or for newspaper-reading, or for making up 
accounts ; he dishonors God by this sort 
of work quite as much as the more open 
Sabbath-breaker. 

And this leads me to the Third point 
which I mentioned ; namely, that whilst Sun- 
day is a resting-day, it should also be a busy 
day to the Christian, a day for holy employ- 
ments. A person may abstain from work. 
He may carefully avoid employing others 
to work. And yet the day may be anything 




THE LORDS' S DAY A HOLIDAY. 151 

but a sacred day to him. It may be a day 
of worldliness, or a day of idleness. He may 
do nothing to help his soul forward towards 
heaven. 

The earnest Christian will feel that this 
is the great preparation-day for a better 
world ; the great sowing season ; the great 
ripening time for the future harvest. I have 
already shown you that the Word of God 
and Prayer are special helps to us in the 
Christian Life. No child of God can live 
without them. And here we have another 
help which God has mercifully given us, 
His sabbaths, when much work may be done 
for heaven. 

And what are the particular employments 
to which we are called on the Lord's Day? 

Congregational worship is the great em- 
ployment of the day. We meet for business 
on other days, in the market-place, or in the 
field, or in the work-shop. We meet our 
friends, at the family meal. We meet, most 
of us, I hope, for family worship. But on 
Sunday the doors of the Lord's House are 
thrown open, and every individual in each 
parish is invited to come together for joint 
worship. 



152 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

Oh, must it not be a sight at which angels 
rejoice, to see crowds of worshippers press- 
ing into the courts of the Lord? Rank is, 
or ought to be forgotten ; little disagree- 
ments laid aside ; the world thrust back for 
a season. We meet for Prayer, as brethren, 
to pray together, to pray for each other, to 
kindle the flame of devotion in one another's 
hearts, to confess our sins as with one voice, 
to put up our petitions together to God's 
throne, to sing the praises of Him whom we 
love, and to receive that message from 
heaven which God is pleased to send us. 

How can any one be absent at such a 
time ? How can any content themselves 
with coming once, when they might come 
twice? Some think the Prayers too long ; 
others think the Sermon too searching. But, 
if your heart is right with God, you will love 
His house, as David loved it : "A day in thy 
courts is better than a thousand." See how, 
amidst his tears, he thought of those blessed 
seasons he had spent in the sanctuary : " I 
went with the multitude to the house 
of God, with a multitude that kept holy- 
day." 

I think that by a little effort, and w T ith a 



THE LORD'S DAY A HOLIDAY. 153 

little management, some who come once a 
day might perhaps come oftener. With 
some I know it is almost impossible. But 
just ask yourself, Could I not so arrange 
it as to be oftener present in the house of 
my God ? And, when there, put as much 
heartiness as you can into the service. Let 
us pray heartily; respond heartily; sing 
heartily; receive heartily the Word into our 
souls. Let it be the service of the whole 
heart, and not of the lips only. 

Besides Public Worship, there is also the 
Lord's Supper to which we are called. But 
of this I hope to speak at large in another 
chapter. 

These are the more public ordinances 
which belong to the Sabbath. But there are 
many hours which we spend at home with 
our families, or alone. And much depends 
on the way in which they are spent. If they 
are passed in idleness, or in a worldly man- 
ner, then the blessing we may have received 
in God's house will soon be lost. If our 
hearts have been warmed there, they will 
soon grow cold again ; and God's work of 
grace will be undone by our neglect. 



154 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

Let Public Prayer be followed up by 
Closet Prayer. Let the seed sown from the 
Pulpit be watered at home by drawing near 
to the Throne of Grace, by imploring God's 
blessing, and by a devout reading of His 
Word. I am sure that our happiness dur- 
ing the week greatly depends on the way 
in which our Sunday hours are spent. If we 
merely attend to outward ordinances, and 
then put religion aside for the rest of the 
day, there will be no growth in grace, no 
victory over our sinful selves, no ripening 
for heaven. 

There is one more point I wish to speak 
of; and that is, the Joy and Happiness which 
belong to the Lord's Day. 

It is a great mistake to look upon it as a 
mournful day, a day on which we should 
hang down our heads, and banish joy from 
our hearts. What ! is that a mournful day, 
which is more like heaven than all other 
days ? Is that a gloomy invitation, which 
bids us gather round our Father's throne? 
Is that a sorrowful message, which declares 
that " God was in Christ reconciling the 
world unto himself?" We dishonor the 



THE LORD'S DAY A HOLIDAY. 155 

Gospel, if we think it necessary to put on a 
sad countenance when we press its claims. 
The true Christian is the happiest man upon 
earth. And of all days this will be the day 
on which his soul will experience the com- 
pletest joy; and of all places the sanctuary 
will be the place in which he feels the pur- 
est delight. It was so with David ; " I was 
glad when they said unto me, Let us go 
into the house of the Lord ; " " Enter into 
his gates with thanksgiving, and into his 
courts with praise ; " "I went with the mul- 
titude to the house of God, with the voice 
of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept 
holyday." And thus it should be with every 
Christian. Say to yourself then, as each 
Sunday comes, " This is the Christian's Holi- 
day." " This is the day the Lord hath made; 
we will rejoice and be glad in it." And 
whilst the worldly man exclaims, " Behold, 
what a weariness is it ! " " When will the new 
moon be gone, that we may sell corn ? and 
the Sabbath that we may set forth wheat ? " 
ask God to give you a Sabbath blessing, 
to tune your heart for His service, and to 
fulfil His word in your experience; " I will 
make them joyful in my house of prayer.' 1 



1=56 



THE CHRISTIAX LIFE. 



May God in mercy pardon all that has 
been wrong in our past Sundays ! And may 
we put up an earnest prayer that He will in 
future make them more profitable and more 
blessed davs to us ! 



CHAPTER XL 

PUBLIC WORSHIP, THE OUTBURST OF THE 
CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

The meeting together of God's people for 
Public Prayer seems to have been always 
observed. We can certainly trace it back 
as far as the time of the Israelites, above 
three thousand years ago. By the com- 
mand of God, they used to meet together 
in a Building set apart for His worship. 
This Building was called the Tabernacle. 
It was a kind of movable tent, just suited 
to the wants of the Israelites, during their 
journeyings from place to place in the wil- 
derness. Here it was the delight of every 
pious Jew to meet his fellow-worshippers, 
and to draw near with them to the throne 
of grace. David, in his Psalms, often speaks 
of the great joy and comfort he felt in going 
up to the House of the Lord. He exclaims, 
in Psalm lxxxiv., " How amiable are thy 

(i57) 



158 THE CHRISTIAX LIFE. 

tabernacles, O Lord of Hosts ! My soul 
longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of 
the Lord ; my heart and my flesh crieth 
out for the living God." 

Soon after the days of David, the Temple 
was built at Jerusalem. This was a much 
more substantial building. It was some- 
thing like one of our great Cathedrals, only 
much larger, and more magnificent. In this 
temple all the scattered Jews used to meet 
together at certain times in the year to offer 
up prayers and sacrifices. 

When our Lord came upon earth, the 
Temple was still standing. And besides, 
there were several other smaller places of 
worship called Synagogues, both at Jeru- 
salem and in the other Jewish towns. In 
the Gospels we often read of Jesus and His 
followers being present in these Houses of 
Prayer. 

The very first thing that the Disciples 
did after their Lord's departure from them 
into heaven, was to meet for Public Prayer; 
Acts, i. 12, 13, 14. Such too was their con- 
stant custom afterwards. And we find St. 
Paul exhorting the Hebrews, " not to forsake 
the assembling of themselves together." 



PUBLIC WORSHIP. 159 

So you see that Public Prayer is a script- 
ural duty. And can you not say that it has 
been to you a most delightful duty, a 
pleasure, a joy, a blessed privilege? Has 
not this again and again been the feeling of 
your heart, " I was glad when they said 
unto me, Let us go into the House of the 
Lord ? " Have you not sometimes gone to 
God's house with a heavy heart ; and come 
away lightened ? Have you not gone there, 
mourning over the coldness and dullness 
of your feelings ; and come home warmed 
and comforted ? The dew of God's grace 
has fallen upon your soul, and refreshed it. 
The Sun of Righteousness has risen upon 
you, and every cloud has been dispersed. 

There is certainly especial blessing prom- 
ised to us in Public Worship. Where a few 
are gathered together in the Saviour's 
name, there He pledges Himself, as we 
have seen, to be in the midst of us ; Matt, 
xviii. 20. Surely we can have but little 
faith, or we should look for a much larger 
flow of spiritual mercies in the House of 
God. 

But let me say a few words about the 



i6d THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

manner in which we should conduct our- 
selves in our public devotions. 

First Let me remind you that we meet 
in the house of God to pray. Remember, 
it is written, " My house shall be called a 
House of Prayer!' But can it be necessary 
that I should remind you of this ? Alas ! it 
is necessary. Some go only to hear the 
sermon. Some go to stare about them. 
And others, like so many machines, go 
through the mere form of worship. 

I was lately reading of a person who 
had been travelling among the Calmucs (a 
Russian tribe). At the entrance of some of 
their huts he observed a kind of small wind- 
mill. He inquired for what purpose they 
were put there ; and he was told that they 
were " praying-machines." The owner of 
the hut causes certain prayers to be written 
by the priests ; and they are then turned 
round by the wind, which saves him the 
trouble of repeating them himself. 

A Christian wonders at such absurdities. 
But in the conduct of these poor ignorant 
Calmucs, may he not see something like a 
picture of his own conduct? The devo- 
tions of too many Christians are but little 



PUBLIC WORSHIP. 161 

better. It seems to be quite enough with 
some to make their appearance in God's 
house. They hold a Prayer-book in their 
hand ; and this is to them what the praying- 
machine is to the Calmuc. They seem 
almost to expect it to pray for them, and to 
bring down from heaven all the blessings 
they need, without any trouble or concern 
of their own. Before then you smile at the 
poor ignorant Calmuc's devotions, see that 
your own are what they ought to be. It is 
not enough to listen to the prayers, or to 
read them ever so attentively in your 
Prayer-book. You should pray the prayers. 
You should make them your own. Be not 
a mere listener in God's house, but a wor- 
shipper. 

Secondly. Be careful about your posture. 
Ours is not, I know, a mere bodily service, 
but a spiritual one. It is the service of the 
heart. But still, a lowly posture of the 
body is fit for those who are approaching 
God. 

If you will take the trouble to look out 

the following passages, you will clearly see 

that kneeling was the posture observed by 

the people of God in scripture times : 

ii 



1 62 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

Exodus, iv. 31; xxxiv. 8; Psalm xcv. 6; 
I Kings, viii. 54; Dan. vi. 10; Luke, xxii. 
41; Acts, vii. 60; ix. 40; xx. 36; xxi. 5. 
Standing however seems to have been allow- 
able; Mark, xi. 25 ; Luke, viii. 1 1, 13. 

But go into our churches, and what do 
you find? You see the greater part of the 
congregation, not kneeling, not even stand- 
ing, but actually sitting at their ease, during 
the solemn act of prayer ! Alas, how wrong ! 
How useless to call ourselves " miserable 
sinners," and yet to approach God in such a 
way as this ! Surely our people will never 
worship God inwardly, as long as they thus 
despise Him outwardly. 

Have you been hitherto one of the sitting 
part of the congregation ? Then I solemnly 
and affectionately warn you not to dishonor 
God any more. Though many around you 
sit, do you kneel, or at least stand. No 
matter, if you should act differently from 
the rest of those in your pew; you will be 
acting rightly. No matter if some should 
jeer you ; your conscience will tell you that 
you are right. And sometimes, you know, 
we must meet with reproaches for our Mas- 
ter's sake. How happy it would make me, 



PUBLIC WORSHIP. 163 

if I could watch you reading this book, and 
then follow you to church next Sunday, 
and see you on your knees before God ! 
May He give you strength to do what is 
pleasing in His sight ! 

Thirdly. Join heartily in all the prayers. 
In some parts of the service only the voice 
of the minister ought to be heard. In these 
you should pray silently and secretly, but 
still you should pray fervently. But there 
are other parts in which all should pray 
aloud. And what a life and warmth it gives 
to our services, when this is heartily done. 
Supposing that all, with one heart and voice, 
should pray, when they are required to pray ; 
praise, when they are required to praise; 
and sing, when they are required to sing ; 
what would be the effect ? What a change 
would then take place in our public worship ! 
There would be no complaint then of the 
want of heart, and life, in our solemn ser- 
vices. Then, as St. Paul says, if there 
should come in " one that believeth not, or 
one unlearned," he would indeed be u con- 
vinced of all ; " and, falling down on his face, 
he would worship God, and would report 
that God was in us of a truth. 



1 64 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

Yes, this would be delightful indeed. 
And how can it be brought about? Not 
by empty wishes. Not by sighs after a bet- 
ter state of things. A congregation is com- 
posed of different members. You are one. 
Let your prayers, in the house of God, be 
henceforth more earnest. Let your voice of 
prayer and praise be heard in the congrega- 
tion. 

Fourthly. Keep your heart fixed on God. 
Have you not sometimes felt quite ashamed, 
when the service is ended, to think how 
little you have prayed ; and how sadly your 
mind has wandered away from God ? Have 
you not found that the most worldly, and 
the most trifling, thoughts will creep in, if 
they are not forcibly shut out ? This shows 
what corrupt and fallen creatures we are. 
The world follows us to the very house of 
God. It clings to us, even when we are 
before His throne. Watch against this. 
Strive against it. Pray against it. 

Lastly. Avoid all light, vain, and world- 
ly conversation both in going to God's 
house, and in returning from it. If you go 
to church in a devout and prepared state 
of mind, you will find that this is the surest 



PUBLIC WORSHIP. 165 

way to enjoy a peaceful and holy frame dur- 
ing the service. How often we have seen 
a person come in late and hurried ! It is 
quite impossible that he can bring his mind 
to engage at once in the solemn work of 
prayer. Perhaps, for the last half-hour, he 
has been thinking of his dress, or has been 
engaged in some worldly matter; and thus 
he rushes into the presence of his God. 
No wonder if his heart is far away. No 
wonder if the world, instead of God, is in all 
his thoughts. It is very important then to try 
and get four heart right beforehand, by draw- 
ing near to God in your closet and asking 
Him to be specially with you in His House. 
And then, after the service, how is it 
usually with us ? The congregation breaks 
up, and the doors open ; and too many, as 
they walk home, begin almost immediately 
to talk about the most trifling matters. 
To hear them, one would little guess that 
they had been to the house of prayer. God 
is forgotten ; heavenly things are put aside ; 
and the good seed of His Word choked. 
Beware of this ; for Satan thus draws off 
multitudes of souls. " Keep thy heart with 
all diligence.'' 



1 66 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

May there be more praying people in 
our congregations ! May God put more 
life into our services ! May our confessions 
be more heartfelt, our petitions more earnest, 
our praises more lively, and our hearing 
more childlike ! May we say of God's 
House, "Surely the Lord is in this place. 
This is none other but the House of God, 
and this is the gate of heaven ! " 



CHAPTER XII. 

THE HOLY COMMUNION, THE BOND OF 
THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

The Christian Church consists of" all who 
profess and call themselves Christians " — all 
who have been baptized. This is a large 
circle, and includes every one who names 
the name of Christ 

But, besides this, there is also an inner 
circle, which takes in only those who are 
really Christ's people, those whom He looks 
upon as His own elect. 

The Jews of old all belonged to God's 
Church. The whole nation were called His 
people. " To them belonged the adoption, 
and the glory, and the covenants, and the 
giving of the law, and the service of God, 
and the promises." The Lord treated them 
as His children; " Israel is my son, my 
firstborn." But only a few of them were 
true Believers. There was only a little rem- 

(167) 



1 68 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

nant according to the election of grace. 
" They are not all Israel," as St. Paul says, 
" who are of Israel." And so all are not 
true Christians who belong to Christ's outer 
household. Thus in the Apostles' Creed 
we say, " I believe in the Holy Catholic 
Church ; " that is, I believe in the great Body 
of Professing Christians. And then we add, 
" I believe in the Communion of Saints;" 
that is, the Company of true Believers. 

But how difficult for us to discern be- 
tween God's professing people and His real 
people! Several years ago, there was a 
census taken of the population of this 
country. But suppose it had been directed 
that, in the return to be made, it should be 
specified who were God's saints, and who 
were not — shall I say, How hard it would 
have been, — rather I would say, How impos- 
sible it would have been to mark them ! The 
Lord Himself only " knoweth them that are 
His." We may think, we may judge, we may 
form our opinions ; but we dare not pronounce 
who are of God, and who are of the world, 
Nay, our Lord seems to caution us against 
making the attempt; for in the Parable of 
the Wheat and the Tares, when the servants 



THE HOLY COMMUNION. 169 

propose to the master of the harvest-field, 
" Wilt thou that we go and gather up the 
tares ? " he replies, " Nay, lest while ye 
gather up the tares, ye root up also the 
wheat with them." 

Still there is the inner circle, the precious 
wheat, the little flock. God has His saints* 
upon earth y as well as in heaven. And the 
good Shepherd says, " I know my sheep, 
and am known of mine." 

Happy those, who can in the secret of 
their hearts feel that, unworthy as they are, 
they have been received into the fold — who 
have an humble assurance that God does 
number them among His people — whose 
conscience bears witness that their one chief 
desire is to serve God with all their hearts, 
and to live a Christian life. 

It is to help such on their difficult jour- 
ney, to cheer them and strengthen by the 
way, that the Lord has given His Word to 
nourish them, a Throne of Grace where 
they may apply for help, the Sabbath to 
rest them, His House as a place of refresh- 
ment; and, further, His Body and Blood to 
give new life from time to time to their 
souls. 



170 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

Now, our subject for this chapter is the 
Lord's Supper. And I shall speak of it, 

1. As the Bond which binds God's peo- 
ple together. 

2. As a Mark of Discipleship. 

3. As a most important Means of grace. 

I shall afterwards give you a few direc- 
tions as to the spirit in which we should re- 
ceive it. 

1. We will speak of the Lord's Supper as 
the Bond which binds God's people together. 

His people are scattered about the world. 
Some are here, and some at the other ex- 
tremity of the globe. Some are poor, and 
some rich. In many ways they are separ- 
ated from each other. But yet there is a 
oneness about them, which nothing can 
break. " We being many," says the apos- 
tle, " are one body in Christ, and every one 
members one of another," separated as 
members of the world, but united as mem- 
bers of Christ. 

It is well to think of this union, and try 
and realize it. When we hear of any one, 
for instance, loving and serving God, it is 
good to feel, he is my Brother. When we 



THE HOLY COMMUNION. 171 

are told of a person being drawn from the 
path of sin, and brought to Christ, it is a 
comfort to think that another member is 
added to God's happy family. When a 
true Believer dies in the Lord, there is 
something very sweet in the thought that 
another sheep of the flock is safely folded. 

It is our privilege, if we are true Chris- 
tians, to feel this ; and we ought to feel it — 
that we are not alone, but that we are mem- 
bers of a great Christian Brotherhood, and 
that we shall one day be together in the 
many mansions of our Father's House. 

But there is a time, when Christians are 
specially reminded of this happy union ; I 
mean when they meet together at the Lord's 
Table. There is something in a meal which 
draws us closely together, and binds us to 
one another. And this is a heavenly meal, 
a spiritual feast. "The cup of blessing 
which we bless, is it not the communion of 
the blood of Christ? " Is it not a partak- 
ing together of the benefits of Christ's blood- 
shedding ? " The bread which we break, is 
it not the communion of the body of 
Christ?" " Is it not a feeding together on 
His body ? " " For we being many are one 



172 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

bread, and one body : for we are all partak- 
ers of that one bread." We feed upon 
Christ; and thus become united to Him 
and to one another; we become one loaf 
as it were, one bread and one body. We 
are like so many vine-branches, feeding to- 
gether on the same spiritual Vine ; so many 
limbs or members, clinging to Christ, the 
living Head. 

Here is a bond indeed, which should 
make us feel that we are one — one in our 
misery and helplessness — and one too in 
having Christ as the only Saviour, to whom 
we all alike owe our salvation. 

And here let me speak of a temptation, 
by which Satan sometimes sends a chill into 
our hearts. He perhaps whispers to us, 
" They are not all God's true people who 
meet at His Table. There are some for- 
malists there, some who have only a name 
to live, some who are wearing the mere 
mark of the Gospel." Yes, and so it is per- 
haps. But we have nothing to do with this. 
We are told in God's Word to "judge noth- 
ing before the time." We are exhorted to 
exercise that charity which " believeth all 
things, hopeth all things;" and "in lowli- 



THE HOLY COMMUNION. 173 

ness of mind to esteem other better than 
ourselves." Ah, that is a cold, withering, 
unhappy, unchristian feeling, which leads a 
person to be looking into other hearts rather 
than his own, and to judge harshly of his 
brother's state. Remember, there was a 
Judas among the Twelve, a false apostle 
among the true ones ; and who knows but 
that he was one to whom the Saviour gave 
the bread and wine in the Passover Supper 
Room ? Remember, too, that the Lord's 
Table is spread on earth, and not in heaven; 
and we shall never find perfection here. 
Let us come together, then, as members of 
one family, knit together in love, drawn to- 
wards each other by a holy bond of broth- 
erly affection. This is the spirit which 
becomes those who are groaning under the 
same load of sin, and are looking to the 
same Saviour, and to the same blessed 
Home. 

2. We may regard the Lord's Supper as 
a Mark of Disciple ship, I have already said, 
that all who partake of the Holy Com- 
munion are not Christ's disciples. We may 
eat the bread and drink the wine, and yet 
have no part with Christ. But, still, to 



174 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

come to His Table is as much as to declare 
oneself His follower ; it is as much as to 
say that we cast in our lot among His 
people, and that we feed on Him as the 
Bread of our souls. We become full mem- 
bers of His Church, when having been con- 
firmed we partake of this ordinance. Christ 
bids us come, and by accepting His invita- 
tion we declare our willingness to be His. 

It is well to look at the Lord's Supper in 
this light. It is well to consider it as a mark 
vf allegiance X.o our Lord. 

Let those who never come lay this to 
heart. Here is a public act, which my Lord 
bids me engage in, an act by which I may 
enroll myself among His people. But I 
stand afar off, and obey not His loving 
call. 

And let those who do come lay it also to 
heart. It is my high privilege to draw near 
to my Redeemer, to partake of this most 
blessed of all ordinances. Then let me live 
accordingly. Let my life, my conduct, my 
feelings, my words, be those of a disciple 
who loves his Lord. Let me ever remem- 
ber whose I am, and to whose service I have 
joyfully pledged myself. 



THE HOLY COMMUNION. 175 

3. We may look upon the Lord's Supper 
as a most important Means of Grace. 

It is something, if by coming to this Feast 
we are only reminded of our Lord's death. 
It is something, if by so doing we are bound 
more strongly to one another. It is some- 
thing, if we thus make an open confession 
of Christ. Hut, further, we must not forget 
that it is an ordinance by which God gives 
fresh grace to our needy souls. Are we 
sorrowful ? Here is a comfort for us. Are 
we weak ? Here is strength. Are we sore 
let and hindered in running our Christian 
race ? Here is a help by the way. Do we 
long for the Saviour to be nearer to us? 
Here we are brought close to Him. " The 
cup of blessing which we bless ; is it not the 
communion of the blood of Christ? The 
bread which we break, is it not the com- 
munion of the body of Christ ? For we being 
many are one bread, and one body : for we 
are all partakers of that one bread." As we 
say in our Communion service, "We dwell 
in Christ, and Christ in us; w r e are one with 
Christ, and Christ with us." 

When you kneel at that Table, think of 
Christ. Receive Him into your hearts 



176 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

by faith. Feed upon Him. Believe that a 
blessing is there, and open your hearts to 
receive it. 

Thus I have endeavored to show you 
how much there is in this heavenly banquet 
which our Lord has provided for us ; how 
it meets all our wants ; how it ought to bind 
us to one another ; how bold it ought to 
make us in confessing Christ ; what a re- 
freshment it ought to be to our poor, hun- 
gering souls. 

I often think, that considering the state 
of our congregations, the number of our 
communicants ought to be larger than it is. 
If they were in a dead, careless, unawakened 
state, then we should look for few at the 
Lord's Table. But that is not generally the 
state of our congregations. Blessed be 
God, there is life among us ; there is earn- 
estness among us. There are many, I be- 
lieve, who come to the House of God who 
have deep convictions, strong feelings in 
their hearts, a real desire to be saved ; and 
yet even some of these stay away; and 
others come but seldom. 

What is it that keeps them back ? Is it 



THE HOLY COMMUNION. 177 

fear? Is it want of decision? Is it the 
notion that we can be saved as well without 
the ordinance as with it ? If it is the first 
of these, namely, a fear that we are not fit, 
this is a serious reason and ought to be 
considered. Now, there are many whom I 
would not think of urging to come to the 
Lord's Table ; namely, those who love sin, 
those who are careless about the things of 
God, those who see no preciousness in 
Christ, those who are trying to save them- 
selves, instead of looking to the salvation 
offered in the Gospel. To such I would 
say, Come first to Christ ; give your heart 
to Him ; and then come to His Table. 

But are there not some in whose hearts 
there is a true sorrow for sin, and a real 
desire to take Christ for their Saviour; and 
yet we never see them among our commu- 
nicants ? To such I would say, If you love 
Christ, though you feel that you do not love 
Him enough, come to the Feast which He 
has so graciously provided. Come, that 
you may love Him more. Come, that your 
faith may be strengthened. Come, that you 
may obtain the very help which you need. 

Or if it is want of decision which keeps 
12 



178 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

you back, how sad it is that any should 
have good thoughts and feelings about sal- 
vation, and yet should halt and hang back, 
and thus run the risk of losing all, even 
heaven itself. If you are one of these 
waverers, leave at once the false and uncer- 
tain ground on which you are now stand- 
ing. It will not bear your weight, if trials 
come. It will not support you, when death 
stares you in the face. Stand boldly for- 
ward. " If the Lord be God, follow Him, 
but if Baal, then follow him." If you wish 
Christ to be your Saviour, do not dishonor 
Him by your half-heartedness ; but give 
Him all your love and all your service ; and 
let your first act of decision be to come to 
this precious ordinance. 

Or, once more, if some have the idea that 
they can be serving Christ, whether they 
join in this sacrament or not, they are under 
a fatal mistake. For does not our Lord 
say, " Do this ? " and yet they do it not. 
It is one of our Saviour's plain commands, 
which we can only disobey at our great 
peril. To stay away from the Lord's Table 
is to live in a state of disobedience — it is to 
put from us an offered blessing — to try and 



THE HOLY COMMUNION. 179 

do without that which He has declared 
needful for us. For He says, " Except ye 
eat the flesh of the Son of Man, and drink 
His blood, there is no life in you." No, 
dear friends, we cannot do without this 
holy ordinance. We cannot neglect it, and 
yet grow in grace and holiness. 

Let me now offer you a few directions. 

1. When you come to the Lord's Table, 
raise your thoughts upwards, and fix them 
on Christ. You remember that, in the 
Service, the Minister says to you, " Lift up 
your hearts ; " and you reply, " We lift 
them up unto the Lord." 

Endeavor to do so. When you take the 
bread and wine into your mouth, think of 
Him who is your spiritual Bread, and feed 
on Him by faith. He is in heaven ; and 
thither must your heart ascend. 

2. When you are assembled with your 
brethren at the Holy Communion, try and 
feel that " we are members one of another," 
and that we belong to a great Family for 
whom Christ died. Ask God to kindle a 
feeling of real brotherly love in your heart. 

3. When you draw near to the Saviour's 



180 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

Feast, come to it with an humble, but at the 
same time a thankful, heart. Remember, 
the Communion Service is a Service of 
gratitude and thankfulness. How full of 
joy, for instance, are those words in it, 
" Therefore with angels and archangels, and 
with all the company of heaven, we laud 
and magnify Thy glorious name, evermore 
praising Thee/' And again, towards the 
end of the Service, " Glory be to God on 
high, and in earth peace, good will towards 
men. We praise Thee, we bless Thee, we 
worship Thee, we glorify Thee, we give 
Thee thanks for Thy great glory, O Lord 
God, heavenly King, God the Father 
Almighty." 

Let us try then, on these occasions, to 
waken up all our thankful fee-lings. Blessed 
Feast, which reminds us of our pardon, our 
acceptance, and our full redemption ! Blessed 
Feast, which binds us closer to our Lord, 
and closer to one another ! Happy those 
who eat bread and drink wine with the 
Saviour here : they will soon be called to a 
higher Feast above, even to the Marriage 
Supper of the Lamb in heaven ! 




CHAPTER XIII. 

THE HOLY SPIRIT, THE SEAL OF THE CHRIS- 
TIAN LIFE. 

The descent of the Holy Ghost upon the 
early followers of our Lord, was the great 
object to which He specially directed their 
thoughts. And in accordance with this 
promise, the Spirit came down on the day 
of Pentecost, in all the fulness of His power, 
to bless and give life to the Christian 
Church. 

Now, it was promised by our Lord that 
the Holy Spirit should abide with us — not 
merely visit us for a time, but continue and 
remain with us. And He does now actually 
dwell in the hearts of all God's people. 
He is as truly present with them as He was 
with the Disciples on the day of Pentecost. 
And if we cannot see this, and believe it, 
what is it but a sad proof that we are still 
in our worldly state ; not taught of God, 

(181) 



1 82 THE CHRIS TI AX LIFE. 

and not under the influence of His grace? 
For does not the Saviour Himself, when 
speaking of the Holy Spirit, say, " Whom 
the world cannot receive, because it seeth 
Him not, neither knoweth Him ; but ye know 
Him, for He dwelleth with you, and shall 
be in you ! " 

I would ask those who deny the Spirit's 
influence, just to consider this — 

Is it not most clearly told us in Scripture, 
that our Lord promised to bestow the gift of 
the Spirit upon His people? 

Is it not clear that the Holy Ghost did 
descend upon the Disciples ten days after 
our Lord's Ascension ? 

And again, is it not clear that, in the Acts 
and Epistles, Christians are spoken of as 
having the Holy Spirit in their hearts ; nay, 
that if they are not led by the Spirit, they 
are not, and cannot be, the true children of 
God? 

But some have the notion in their minds, 
that the Holy Spirit is with the Church gen- 
erally, but that He does not work in indi- 
vidual hearts. They do not, and cannot, 
deny His presence and His power in the 
world; but they will not allow that He 



THE HOLY SPIRIT, 183 

carries on a special work in the Believer's 
soul. This they look upon as all fancy and 
enthusiasm. They are willing to pray in 
church, as we have been praying this morn- 
ing, "Almighty God, cleanse the thoughts of 
our hearts by the inspiration of Thy Holy 
Spirit, that we may perfectly love Thee." 
But they would perhaps think it folly to 
kneel down alone in their own private 
chambers, and pour out their hearts to 
God, saying, " O Lord, give me Thy Holy 
Spirit to dwell within me ; and fill me with 
His blessed inspiration." 

Believe me, it is not enough to acknowl- 
edge that every true Church must have the 
Holy Spirit present with it, or it cannot be 
a living Church ; but we must have the 
same Holy Spirit, each one of us. In fact, 
if you and I have not God's Holy Spirit 
working in our. hearts, dwelling there at 
this moment, we are not real living Chris- 
tians ; there is something we lack, some- 
thing without which we cannot be the true 
people of God. 

This is a solemn thought. Oh, that none 
of us may deceive ourselves ! We may be 
regular church-goers, regular Bible-readers, 



1 84 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

regular at our private prayers, of upright and 
honest lives ; and so far all is well. But if 
our hearts are not the temple, the abode, 
the dwelling-place, of the Holy Ghost — if 
His presence and power are not felt deep in 
our souls — if He is not there, leavening our 
whole inner man — then we fall short of 
being genuine Christians; there is no life 
in us. 

This is too important a matter to be put 
aside with a mere passing thought. Let us 
then seriously consider, what are the signs 
of the indwelling of the Holy Ghost. I will 
mention four, 

i. Earnestness as regards salvation. One 
would think that the salvation of a person's 
soul would be the first, the chief, the greatest 
concern with every one. But is it so ? We 
see this person eager about making money. 
We see another full of anxiety about his 
family. A third is very desirous to improve 
his health. But seldom, very seldom, do we 
find men filled with concern about their 
souls. We sometimes say, " When a man 
gets older, he will become thoughtful." 
But this by no means follows as a matter 



THE HOL Y SPIRIT. 185 

of course. How often we see persons 
drawing near to the very brink of the 
grave, still careless and unconcerned. The 
world is leaving them; but they still love it, 
and cling to it, to the very last. Truly we 
need the Holy Spirit's quickening, awaken- 
ing power to rouse us from our sleep, and 
make us seek salvation in real earnest. 

2. The enlightening of the mind. Being 
naturally blind as regards heavenly things, 
we must be taught of God, and a light from 
above must shine in upon our souls, before 
we can even understand God's truth. If 
any one wishes to see this plainly stated, 
let him quietly read over 1 Corinthians, ii. 
We are there told, concerning " the things 
which God hath prepared for them that love 
Him," that is, the good things which the 
Christian enjoys now that " eye " hath 
not seen them, nor ear heard them. " But," 
the Apostle says, " God hath revealed 
them unto us by His Spirit; for the Spirit 
searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of 
God." And, a few verses on, he speaks still 
more plainly ; " The natural man," he 
says, "receiveth not the things of the 



186 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

Spirit of God, neither can he know them, 
because they are spiritually discerned." 

I will go even further, and observe that a 
person may know a great deal, and get hold 
of the outside of the Gospel, and yet, for 
want of the Spirit's grace and teaching, his 
mind may be in darkness still. You may 
learn in childhood that God is love ; and 
yet you may grow up utterly disregarding 
Him, and you may even die blaspheming 
Him ! You may be acquainted with the 
holiest truths, and be able to speak learnedly 
about them ; and yet you may be a wretched 
man. You may have this text upon your 
lips, " Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and 
thou shalt be saved ; " and yet you may neg- 
lect His salvation all your days. But, when 
God teaches by His Holy Spirit, He teaches 
the heart; He enlightens the very soul. 

3. Another sign of the indwelling of the 
Holy Spirit will be Love to God and to His 
people. The Spirit changes the heart of 
man, and raises it up from earth to heaven. 
He not only teaches us that we ought to love 
God, but draws our hearts towards Him. 
11 The love of God " as the Apostle says, 
" is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy 



THE HOLY SPIRIT. 187 

Spirit which is given us." And so it is with 
love to His people. The Holy Spirit not only- 
shows us that it is our duty to love them ; 
but He sows the seeds of love within us. Our 
hearts are drawn out towards our heavenly 
Father's children ; " By this we know that 
we have passed from death unto life, because 
we love the brethren." 

4. I will mention one more sign, and that 
a sure and unfailing sign, of the indwelling 
of the Holy Spirit in a soul ; and that is 
Holiness. Where the Holy Spirit is, there 
will be holiness ; a love for holiness ; a 
striving after holiness ; a gradual growth in 
holiness ; the bringing every thought, and 
desire, and feeling, into subjection to the 
will of God. We may mistake nature for 
grace. We may mistake the outside of re- 
ligion for that which is inward and real. But 
when we see a holy man — one walking with 
God, and doing everything to His glory — 
this we cannot mistake ; it is, and must be, 
God's own work in the soul. 

Now, take these four signs, and examine 
your own heart. Are you earnestly con- 
cerned about your soul's salvation ? Is your 



188 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

mind enlightened? Do you see heavenly 
truths much more clearly than you once 
saw them ? Do you love God your Saviour 
and His people ? And lastly, are you walk- 
ing in the path of holiness ? Then, if so, do 
not doubt but that God's Holy Spirit has 
taken up His abode within you. 

But there is an expression to which I 
must in conclusion call your attention — the 
sealing of the Holy Spirit. In Eph. i. 13, 
St. Paul says, u After that ye believed ye 
were sealed with, that Holy Spirit of promise." 
We find the same thing spoken of in two 
other passages of Scripture. In chap, iv, 
30, of the same Epistle, St. Paul says, 
" Grieve not the Holy Spirit, whereby ye 
are sealed unto the day of redemption." And 
in 2 Cor. i. 22, it is written/* God hath also 
sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit 
in our hearts." 

What is this sealing ? We must not look 
for it in the case of the unconverted, but in 
those who are true Believers ; for the Apos- 
tle says, "After that ye believed, ye were 
sealed." It is an after work, by which the 
Believer is confirmed and strengthened in 
his faith. Just as when any paper or docu- 



THE HOLY SPIRIT. 189 

ment is drawn up, we are in the habit of 
signing our name at the end of it, and then 
we put our seal upon it, in order to show 
that we acknowledge it, and make it ours, 
so God by His Holy Spirit sets His 
stamp upon believers, and marks them for 
His own. 

We often see God's people full of doubt 
and uncertainty whether they are accepted 
or not. Their hearts are turned heaven- 
ward ; they love Christ, and wish to serve 
Him. But they do not feel happy. Their 
footing is not firm. There is a work of grace 
within them ; but they seem to lack some- 
thing. What is it? Not a voice from 
heaven, to tell them that God is their 
Father ; not a vision of the night, to remove 
all doubt : no, this is not God's way of deal- 
ing. What they want is more of the Holy 
Spirit — a deeper work in their souls — they 
want this sealing \ which is spoken of in 
Scripture. And often God is pleased to give 
this, under the preaching of the Word, or 
in reading of a chapter of the Bible. Some 
promise is brought by the power of the 
Holy Spirit, and sealed upon the heart. And 
thus the soul is led into the full assurance 



190 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

of understanding and of faith. The Believer 
feels that he is welcome, and that he is in- 
deed one of God's adopted children. How 
blessed thus to have our way cleared, 
our doubts removed, our slavish fear 
calmed, and under the drawings of eternal 
love to approach God as a reconciled 
Father ! 

No one who reads the New Testament 
can fail to see that this was the bright and 
happy feeling of true Believers in former 
days. And this it was that made them 
strong, and enabled them to go through the 
world as men who had " made their calling 
and election sure." 

Look at St. Paul saying, " But I obtained 
mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might 
show forth all long-suffering, for a pattern 
to them which should hereafter believe." 
Did he not mean that all, who should believe 
like him, might rejoice as he rejoiced ? He 
would not shut out one from that blessed 
source of joy to his own soul — the power 
of saying, " But I have obtained mercy." 

Again, did not the early Christian Be- 
lievers speak in language of the greatest 
confidence, and say, " We are of God " — 



THE HOL Y SPIRIT. 191 

" We are fellow-citizens of the saints and of 
the household of God" — once " darkness," 
now " light in the Lord ? " And may not 
we speak with the same holy, humble con- 
fidence ? May not we take to ourselves the 
comfort that we are actually and really 
adopted into God's family. 

Yes, we may. And it is moreover the 
duty and the privilege of every Believer 
among us diligently and prayerfully to seek 
for this assurance of faith, this sealing of the 
Spirit. It is not an imaginary blessing: it 
is a real one, and it may be ours. Be not 
satisfied with a dim hope ; or rest content 
with a past experience. Apply for a present 
pardon, a present sense of acceptance, a 
present salvation, a present Christ to rejoice 
in, and to live upon. 



CHAPTER XIV. 

THE CHRISTIAN LIFE, A DAILY PROGRESS. 

In the fourth chapter of the Epistle to the 
Ephesians, the Apostle speaks of the 
Christian Church. In the 4th, 5th, and 6th 
verses, he describes its oneness ; " There is 
one body and one spirit, even as ye are 
called in one hope of your calling ; one 
Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and 
Father of all, who is above all, and through 
all, and in you all." In the following verses 
he shows how abundantly Christ has pro- 
vided for the growth and strength of His 
Church ; " Unto every one of us is given 
grace according to the measure of the gift 
of Christ. Wherefore he saith, he ascended 
up on high, he led captivity captive, and 
gave gifts unto men. And he gave some 
apostles, and some prophets, and some 
evangelists, and some pastors and teachers." 
And all this that our spiritual growth might 
be as sure and gradual as the growth of our 
(192) 



A DAILY PROGRESS. 193 

bodies ; " For the perfecting of the saints, 
for the work of the ministry, for the edify- 
ing of the body of Christ ; till we all come 
in the unity of the faith, and of the knowl- 
edge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man 
(or a full-grown man), unto the measure 
of the stature of the fulness of Christ." 

If you watch a child, you will see how 
from year to year his stature gradually in- 
creases, till he attains to the perfection of a 
full-grown man. But if he remains sta- 
tionary — if year after year his limbs gather 
no strength — if there is no growth — then 
the conclusion you come to is that some- 
thing is wrong. There is clearly something 
wanting, or something which interferes with 
the usual course of nature. 

So is it with the Christian. When there 
is no advance, no growth in grace, no 
spiritual progress, something must be wrong. 
It is not God's will that it should be so. He 
would not have us always to be mere babes 
in Christ, always children ; but He desires 
to see us increasing in our spiritual stature, 
and advancing to spiritual manhood. 

Now, it is against this stuntedness in the 
Christian growth that the Apostle goes on 
13 



194 THE CHRISTIAX LIFE. 

to warn us, when he says, " that we hence- 
forth be no more children." 

The expression " children," or babes, is 
sometimes used in a good sense, and some- 
times in a bad sense. Truly it is a blessed 
thing to be a child of God ; to be taken out 
of the family of the world, and to be brought 
into God's family; to have a place among 
His sons and daughters ; to be, as it were, 
even a little one in His household. 

And yet is it not well to remember that 
we must not be always children ? I am 
sorry to say, there are some in the Christian 
Church, whom we believe to be God's peo- 
ple ; but they never seem to be getting on. 
There is no running of the Christian race ; 
but rather a standing still. Instead of mov- 
ing forward, it seems as much as they can 
do to keep their ground. They have the 
same doubts, the same difficulties, the same 
weakness of faith, the same infirmities of 
temper, the same feebleness in grappling 
with temptation, that they had years ago. 
Their wings are clipped ; they do not fly up- 
wards ; their souls M cleave unto the dust." 

And what is the reason of this ? God is 
willing to give. Christ offers a full supply. 



A DAIL Y PROGRESS. 195 

There is no lack in Him ; the lack is in 
ourselves. " We have not, because we ask 
not." If you feel that this is, alas ! the case 
with you, why should it be so a moment 
longer? Go to Christ with the cry of the 
needy. Take your empty pitcher to the 
full Fountain. And then you shall no more 
have reason to complain, " My leanness ! 
my leanness ! " 

But this state of spiritual childishness is 
further described by the apostle in the 
chapter to which I have referred : " Tossed 
to and fro, and carried about with every 
wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and 
cunning craftiness, whereby they lay in wait 
to deceive." 

The weak Christian is here compared to 
a tender reed shaken by the wind ; or to a 
ship at sea, tossed about by the waves, or 
driven forward by the gale; v or to a thin 
fleecy cloud sweeping across the sky on 
some stormy day. Just so is it with the 
weak and unstable Christian. There is no 
firmness and fixedness about him. He is 
swayed this way and that way, by the first 
one who tries to persuade him. He is easily 
led away by the craft and cunning of those 



196 THE CHRISTIAN IIFE. 

who are always ready to draw aside the 
wavering. 

In St. Paul's days, when there were many 
false teachers, how needful it was for Chris- 
tians to be firmly established in the truth ; 
to be resting on the one great foundation. 
And is this less needful now ? As soon as 
any one becomes a real Christian, is he not 
assailed by enemies on every side — enemies 
within and without — secret enemies and 
open enemies ? And many a person, who 
did once run well, has been drawn aside 
from the right path, and, like a vessel with- 
out a rudder, has been driven upon rocks, 
and has made shipwreck of his faith. 

How necessary then that, in our weak- 
ness, we should have some strong, solid 
support on which we may lean. Thank 
God, as members of a sound Christian 
Church, we 'have that support. When in 
danger of* being carried away by any fresh 
"wind of doctrine/' we have the teaching 
of our Church to fall back upon. We have 
our Articles and our Liturgy to rest upon, 
which are based upon the sure Word of 
God, and have remained firm and unmoved 
under many a storm. 



A DAILY PROGRESS. 197 

Ay, and we have a stronger One even 
than our Church to rely upon. We have a 
Rock, even Christ; and if we cleave to 
Him, we shall, and must, be eternally safe. 
The Apostle points to Him, whon he says, 
that "we may grow up into Him in all 
things, which is the Head, even Christ." 

I have explained to you this passage at 
some length. Let me now call your atten-* 
tion to the great lesson which it teaches us ; 
namely, that the work of grace is a gradual 
work. 

The Christian begins by being a babe in 
Christ. There is a childhood in religion. 
When a soul is quickened and born again 
of God, everything seems new to it. We 
are " new creatures ; old things are passed 
away; behold, all things are become new." 
Prayer is a new thing — real, earnest, heart- 
prayer. The Bible is a new book to us ; we 
see it to be the Word of God ; we feel it to 
be the nourishment of our souls. The House 
of God is a new place to us. The Sabbath 
is a new day to us. Once it was a weari- 
ness; now it is our delight. Oh, the joy, 
the new, fresh joy, that is felt by one who 
has just "passed from death unto life;" 



198 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

who has burst the bonds of sin, and has 
tasted the glorious liberty wherewith Christ 
makes His children free ! 

But the young Christian is weak. There 
is much ignorance and darkness yet about 
him. He is liable to be misled. His foot- 
steps are apt to slip. He has many lessons 
yet to learn, and many a battle yet to fight. 
After a little while, doubts and fears spring 
up; and these too are new to him, for he 
never felt them before. He discovers too 
that his faith is very weak ; and this again 
is something quite new to him ; for time 
was when he never thought about it, or 
cared about it. And most surely will Satan 
attack him upon his weakest points. Young 
Christians, again, are often rash, often set 
up, often harsh in their judgment of others. 

Now we must expect to find such infirm- 
ities in those who have newly entered upon 
their Christian course. And those who are 
more advanced ought to take them by the 
hand, and help them in their weakness." 
Yes, those very Ephesians, to whom St. 
Paul was writing, were once but " children " 
in the spiritual life. But the Apostle warns 
them not to continue in this state — " that 



A BAIL Y PROGRESS. 199 

we henceforth be no more children/' but 
that we " may grow up into Him in all 
things, which is the head, even Christ." 
And again he speaks of our growing up 
into a " perfect man/' and arriving at a full 
Christian stature. 

This shows us then that we should be 
growing Christians. Our course should be 
onward ; and our path should be like that 
of the Sun, " shining more and more unto 
the perfect day." One stone after another 
should he added to the Christian Building; 
and so we should be " built up a spiritual 
house;" and being " fitly framed together," 
should " grow into an holy temple." It 
should be with our souls, as it is with our 
bodies : we should wax stronger and stronger 
and every limb should do its appointed work. 

This is important. May God enable us 
to lay it to heart ! For remember, if we are 
true Christians, we shall be growing Chris- 
tians. 

1. We should grow in knowledge. 
Knowledge, if it is not accompanied with 
grace, is worth but little. The Apostle tells 
us that mere " knowledge puffeth up." But 
it is heavenly knowledge that we should 



200 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

earnestly seek after. To know ourselves; 
to know God, and Jesus Christ whom He 
hath sent ; to know the truths of the Gospel ; 
all this is within our reach, for God has re- 
vealed it to us in His Word. And the 
Christian, who studies his Bible with prayer, 
will become more and more enlightened. 
He will " grow in grace and in the knowl- 
edge of our Lord Jesus Christ." 

We must not only desire to be Christians, 
but to be wise Christians, intelligent Chris- 
tians, enlightened Christians. Pray for the 
blessed teaching of the Spirit. Ask Him 
to " lead you into all truth." Get acquainted 
with your Bible. Get to know something 
about the Church to which you belong. 
Get to understand her doctrines, and see 
how thoroughly they agree with the Word 
of God. If you are a Churchman, be an 
earnest, hearty, intelligent Churchman. 
Love your Church, and "be ready always 
to give an answer to every man that asketh 
you a reason of the hope that is in you 
with meekness and fear." 

2. We should grow in faith too. The 
more we know of Christ, and the more we 
experience His love and the greatness of 



A DAILY PRO CRESS. 201 

His salvation, the more simply we should 
trust Him, and the firmer should be our 
confidence in Him. We should be ever 
praying, " Lord, increase our faith." We 
should desire that Christ "may dwell in 
our hearts by faith;" and that we "may 
grow up into Him in all things." We 
should try and leave the land of doubts and 
fears, and soar upwards in the full enjoy- 
ment of God's presence. The Believer's 
faith should rest upon a rock, so that noth- 
ing can shake it. 

3. We should grow in love. St. Paul 
says to the Philippians, " This I pray, that 
your love may abound yet more and more." 
And so the Thessalonians, " The Lord 
make you to increase and abound in love 
one toward another." Our love to Christ 
should be a growing love : and the more of 
it we possess, the more we shall love His 
people for His sake. 

If this flame of holy love has been kindled 
in our once cold hearts, is it, I ask, burning 
brighter, and steadier, and stronger? Do 
we love our Lord, not merely when our 
affections are warmed by excitement, but 
with that constancy and evenness which be- 



202 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE, 

longs to His true friends ? And do we love 
our Brethern more and more, desiring to do 
them good both in their souls and bodies, 
and rejoicing in their welfare? 

4. We must grow in humility. Ah, 
there is no surer test of grace than this — 
are we growing humbler ? Is self put 
down, and Christ exalted in its place? The 
young Christian is oftentimes a little set up ; 
but the more we know of ourselves and of 
our Lord, the more lowly will our walk be. 
The fuller and riper the fruit, the lower do 
the boughs droop. The seed-corn falls to 
the ground, whilst the dust that is mixed 
with it flies aloft before the wind. We often 
meet in these days with bold Christians, 
earnest Christians, active Christians. But 
how rare to meet with a really humble Chris- 
tian ! There are such to be found, but, alas, 
how few ! It needed much grace to make 
St. Paul say, " I am less than the least of 
all saints ; " " God forbid that I should 
glory save in the cross. " 

5. We should grow in zeal a?id activity. 
It is well to be doing something for Christ 
and His Church. If we would have our 
bodily limbs increase in vigor, we must 



A DAILY PROGRESS. 203 

exercise them, we must give them work to 
do, else they will very soon grow feeble and 
powerless. And so with our spiritual frame. 
It is good for our soul's health to work for 
God. Nothing helps the Christian, and 
makes him grow, so much as engaging in 
some active work in the cause of Christ. 
While he is doing good to others, a bless- 
ing is sure to come into his own soul. 

6. We should grow in holiness and like- 
ness to Christ. The sanctifying work of 
the Spirit is a gradual work. It is often 
long before we discover our sins, and, when 
discovered, it is no easy matter to part with 
them. But if God is really at work in our 
souls, there will be an increasing hatred of 
sin, and an increasing desire after holiness, 
That person has made but little progress on 
the way to heaven, who has not learned to 
curb his evil nature, and whose life does 
not show forth the power and grace of the 
Gospel. 

7. Once more, we must grow in meetness 
for heave?i. u It is with the true Believer 
as it is with the ripening fruit. Though 
hard at first, its substance grows soft. 
Though sour and green at first, it becomes 



204 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

rich and mellow. Though it once was fixed 
tightly to the tree, when it grows ripe it is 
ready to drop at the slighest touch. And 
so is it with the Christian who is growing 
in grace and ripening for heaven. His 
heart becomes mellow, and soft, and tender. 
He is loosed from earth and earthly things. 
He yields himself readily to the hand of 
death, and leaves the world without a 
wrench." 

On the other hand, there is some fruit 
which hangs upon the wall, and never 
ripens. The showers of heaven descend 
upon it, the rays of the sun light upon it ; 
but it never ripens. And are there not 
some, who bear the name of Christ, who 
are planted as it were in the garden of the 
Lord, who bask in the very sunshine of 
His favor, who have every advantage they 
can need ; and yet they never ripen for 
heaven ; they are never ready to die ; they 
will never be fitted for the Master's presence ? 

Look upon this life as a ripening time 
for eternity. Lose no opportunity of get- 
ting ready for the great change. Sit loose 
to this world, and live for eternity. Let 
your "life be hid with Christ in God ; " 



A DAILY PROGRESS. 205 

and then, "when Christ who is our life 
shall appear, ye shall appear with Him in 
glory." 

Seek to be a growing Christian. Pray- 
that you may grow in knowledge, in faith, 
in love, in humility, in zeal and activity, in 
holiness and likeness to Christ, in meetness 
for heaven. 

Happy that Church, that Congregation, 
that heart, in which this growth is going 
on ! I often think that God has wonder- 
fully blest our Church in the last few years, 
and is wonderfully blessing it still. I some- 
times feel so ; but I long for more decided 
proof of it. And oh ! that each one of us 
may be able to say, " He is indeed blessing 
me. I feel that I am not as I once was. 
Those things which once were gain to me, 
I have counted loss for Christ. Yea, doubt- 
less, and I count all things but loss for the 
excellency of the knowledge of Christ 
Jesus my Lord. For Him I desire to live ; 
for Him I am ready to die; with Him I 
hope to dwell throughout eternity." 



CHAPTER XV. 

THE CHRISTIAN LIFE, A DAILY STRUGGLE. 

There are many struggles going on in 
the world around us. There are nations 
groaning under oppression, and struggling 
for liberty. There are countries at war with 
one another, each struggling for the mas- 
tery. There is many a man, who has been 
unjustly accused, struggling to prove his 
innocence. There are persons too, who 
have been brought low by misfortune, 
struggling against poverty, and trying hard 
to raise themselves in the world. All 
these struggles are going on at this mo- 
ment. 

But there is another struggle, which no 
one ever yet earnestly engaged in without 
success. The Bible speaks of it, and calls 
it " our warfare ; " that is, the warfare which 
God's people were then, and are still, en- 
gaged in. Let us see, 
(206) 



A DAILY STRUGGLE. 207 

I. What is the nature of this warfare ? 
II. What are the weapons which we are 
to use ? 

III. What is the object to be gained ? 

I. What is the nature of this warfare ? It 
is a spiritual struggle. "We do not war," 
says the Apostle, "after the flesh;" or, as 
he says in another place, " We wrestle not 
against flesh and blood, but against princi- 
palities, against powers, against the rulers 
of the darkness of this world, against 
spiritual wickedness in high places." It is 
a conflict with Satan, and with our own 
evil nature. 

There are in the world two great powers 
— the power of evil and the power of good — 
the kingdom of God and the kingdom of 
Satan. These are set one against the other. 
Satan is ever trying to advance his king- 
dom, and to get the upper hand. He struck 
his first blow, when he drew away our first 
parents from their allegiance to God ; and 
he has tried ever since to mar the Lord's 
work. And never did he try so hard, as 
when Jesus appeared in the world on His 
great errand of redeeming love. He then 



208 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

dared even to tempt the Son of God Him- 
self, and endeavored to thwart His glorious 
work. And so now, wherever the Gospel 
seed is sown, he is ready to pluck it up, or 
else to scatter tares among the wheat. 

Here then is a great spiritual conflict 
going on in the world, a conflict between 
the Lord's people and the servants of 
Satan, between light and darkness, between 
sin and holiness. 

But this is not exactly the conflict of 
which I am going to speak. There is still 
another; namely, that inward struggle, 
which goes on in a person's own heart ; not 
in every heart, but in the hearts of all God's 
people. It is an inward and spiritual con- 
flict, which none can feel but those who are 
under the influence of God's grace. And 
this is the reason why I have called the 
spiritual life a daily struggle. 

When a soul is first awakened, opposition 
is sure to spring up ; opposition from the 
world, which is unwilling to part with one 
of its followers ; opposition from Satan, who 
before, like " a strong man armed/' had 
peaceful possession of the soul, and will not 
now without a desperate effort unloose his 



A DAILY STRUGGLE. 209 

grasp ; and opposition, too, nearer home, in 
our own heart. 

Ah, once there was all ease and quietness 
within; there was no disturbance, no 
anxiety, no concern, no questioning of our- 
selves. And why ? Because the soul was 
asleep. But the moment grace began to 
work, then the struggle was felt. Hear 
how it was with St. Paul.- He tells us, in 
Rom. vii., how severe the warfare was in his 
case ; what a conflict there was between his 
new and spiritual nature, and his old evil 
nature which still remained within him : " I 
know," he says, " that in me, that is, in my 
flesh, dwelleth no good thing ; for to will is 
present with me ; but how to perform that 
which is good I find not. For the good 
that I would I do not : but the evil which I 
would not, that I do. I find then a law, 
that when I would do good, evil is present 
with me. For I delight in the law of God 
after the inward man, but I see another law 
in my members warring against the law of 
my mind, and bringing me into captivity to 
the law of sin, which is in my members. 
O wretched man that I am, who shall 
deliver me from the body of this death ? I 



210 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord." 
Here was a violent conflict continually 
carried on in St. Paul's soul between the 
old man and the new man, between the 
flesh and the spirit, between the bad part 
of his character and the better part. And 
this it was that led him to say to the 
Galatians, " The flesh lusteth against the 
spirit, and the spfrit against the flesh : and 
these are contrary the one to the other : so 
that ye cannot do the things that ye would." 

Is it any wonder then that Christ's people 
are sometimes sad ? Are we surprised that 
now and then they seem so anxious ? It is 
because there is this great struggle going 
on in their souls. They earnestly desire 
to do right ; but there is something within 
which hinders them — something continually 
pulling .them back, when they wish to go 
forward. 

But it may be asked, Is this warfare 
always going on ? Is this struggle a con- 
tinual one ? There are times, when the 
Christian is especially tried. There are 
periods in his experience, when the enemy 
assails him with u?iusual fierceness, when 
he has to gather up all his strength to 



A DAILY STRUGGLE. 211 

oppose him ; when he is forced to summon 
all his faith, and to apply earnestly to God 
for His promised aid. But besides these 
special occasions when the struggle is 
severe, there is a lesser warfare always 
going on in the Believer's soul. There is a 
daily struggle — a struggle which lasts all 
the while we are in this wilderness world, 
and never ceases till we reach the heavenly 
Canaan. 

Perhaps I am speaking to one who knows 
and feels that this is the case. Can we ever 
say that our warfare is accomplished, our 
journey ended, our race run, as long as we 
remain here? No, there is always an 
enemy near, some danger to be guarded 
against, some evil to be overcome, some fresh 
gift to be sought. " Not as though I had al- 
ready attained," says the Apostle, " either 
were already perfect ; but I follow after." It 
is a daily " pressing towards the mark." 

Such is the great warfare which the Word 
of God speaks of — a spiritual warfare — a 
warfare within the soul — a warfare that is 
always going on, so long, at least, as there 
is infirmity, temptation, and sin, to be re- 
sisted — in short, so long as life lasts. 



212 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

Let us now inquire, 

II. What are the weapons with which we 
fight? We are told that, " The weapons of 
our warfare are not carnal, but mighty 
through God." They are not such as men 
of the world use, but what God has pro- 
vided. 

When the followers of the false prophet 
Mahomet began to spread their religion, 
they did it by violence : that was a " carnal " 
weapon. When Peter wished to defend his 
Master, he drew his sword ; that again was 
a " carnal " weapon. How different were 
the weapons which that same Peter and his 
brother apostles used a few years after, 
when they won souls to Christ. Look at 
the sixth chapter of the Second Epistle to 
the Corinthians, and see by what means 
they gained their victories ; " By pureness, 
by knowledge, by long-suffering, by kind- 
ness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned, 
by the word of truth, by the power of God, 
by the armor of righteousness." These 
were their weapons ; and they were " mighty 
through God." And these too are the 
weapons by which hard hearts are broken, 
and souls won, in these days also. 



A DAILY STRUGGLE. 213 

But I am not speaking now of the work 
which the minister of Christ is carrying on ; 
but of that work of grace which is going on 
in the heart of every true Christian. How 
does he fight the good fight of faith ? Is 
there a prize to be won, and he must strive 
for it as best he can ? Is there a warfare to 
be waged, and he has no weapons but those 
with which nature provides him ? We 
might well pity him, if this were the case. 

Just suppose a person awakened to the 
importance of religion, earnestly desiring to 
serve God, and to reach heaven ; but yet 
left entirely to his own resources. He feels 
his faith to be weak ; and how can he 
strengthen it ? He has powerful enemies ; 
how can he stand up against them ? He 
has a sinful, treacherous heart ; how can he 
subdue and sanctify it? If left to himself, 
he would, indeed, soon fail ; and the little 
spark of religion would soon die within him. 

But, thank God, He does not leave His 
people alone and unprovided. He has bid 
us seek His help in prayer, and lean upon 
His grace. He has given us an armor, in 
which we may subdue every foe, and be 
" more than conquerors." 



214 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

Here is our great comfort ; "The Lord of 
Hosts is with us : the God of Jacob is our 
refuge." Our dangers and our trials are 
great; but not greater than we can bear. 
When any one is earnestly engaged in 
fighting the good fight, God's eye is upon 
that person ; He stands ready to give him 
the wished-for succor, and to help him ac- 
cording to his need. Sometimes we feel 
almost disheartened with the toils and diffi- 
culties which are before us. Sometimes the 
way seems very rugged, and the hill very 
steep. Sometimes our trials seem too great 
for flesh and blood. Yes, and they would 
be too great, if we had only flesh and blood 
to meet them. But there is a Heavenly 
Helper; and with His assistance we can 
master them all. We " can do all things 
through Christ which strengtheneth us." 
Oh, then, why should we ever be cast down ? 
Weak as our own powers are, they will be 
" mighty through God." Puny as we are 
in ourselves, we shall be as giants, if like 
David we go forth in the name of the Lord. 

But there is yet another inquiry to make. 
III. What is to be gained by this warfare ? 



A DAILY STRUGGLE. 215 

What is the Christian's great object, for 
which he struggles so hard ? It is " the 
pulling down of strongholds ; " the " casting 
down imaginations, and every high thing 
that exalteth itself against the knowledge of 
God ; " the " bringing into captivity every 
thought to the obedience of Christ." 

Here is a glorious work indeed to be ac- 
complished. Here is something to be de- 
molished ; something to be kept under ; 
something to be won for Christ. Let me 
say a word upon each. 

There is something to be demolished. 
There are " strongholds " to be " pulled 
down." Just as in battle there are certain 
strong fortresses which must be completely 
destroyed, and levelled with the ground, or 
there will be no hope of victory; so it is in 
the Christian warfare. For instance, the love 
of the world, which naturally has possession 
of our hearts, is one of these strongholds. 
That must be pulled down, to make way for 
the love of Christ. Pride is another strong- 
hold, which sets itself up in every uncon- 
verted heart. That too must be lowered ; 
as it is written, " the lofty looks of man 
shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of 



216 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

man shall be bowed down, and the Lord 
alone shall be exalted." In short, every sin, 
which reigns in the unrenewed heart — and 
every sin too which still strives for the mas- 
tery even in the heart that is changed by 
grace — every such sin must be fought 
against, and subdued, and destroyed. 

Ah, it may be a hard and a long warfare ; 
but if we fight manfully, and in dependence 
upon God, we shall succeed at last. For 
the promise is, "Sin shall not have dominion 
over you." God "shall bruise Satan under 
your feet shortly." 

Then, there is something to be kept under 
— " casting down imaginations, and every 
high thing that exalteth itself against the 
knowledge of God." 

I am sure, if we know anything of our 
own hearts, we shall feel that there is a great 
deal that wants constant curbing there. 
Our vain thoughts, our vile affections, our 
unbelief, which are always rising up, and 
troubling us ; our ignorance, which sets it- 
self up against the knowledge of God, and 
leads us away from His truth ; all these need 
to be kept under. And how can we do 



A DAILY STRUGGLE. 217 

this, unless we are ever on our watch, and 
ever seeking fresh and fresh grace from 
God ? If we attempt it with our weapons, we 
shall fail. But if we use the grace which God 
so freely gives, then the victory will be ours. 

Once more— there is something to be 
won to Christ; "bringing into captivity 
every thought to the obedience of Christ." 
He claims all our thoughts, and all our 
hearts ; and it is our happiness to give them 
to Him. But it is no easy matter. And 
yet it may be done. Our weapons are 
powerful enough to effect it. Let us only 
strive and pray — strive as those who are 
really in earnest, and pray as those who 
feel that prayer is their strength — and we 
shall find that one thought after another, 
and one desire after another, will by de- 
grees be subdued, and brought as a pris- 
oner to Christ. 

Happy those who are thus winning 
spiritual victories ; who are learning to 
control their tempers, their wills, their de- 
sires ; and are gradually bringing every 
feeling of the heart into sweet submission 
to their Lord ! 



218 THE CHRISTIAX LIFE. 

And now I will close this subject with 
two short directions. 

The first is, Learn to look on the Christian 
life as a daily struggle. Do not expect it 
to be all smooth and easy. Be prepared 
for many a conflict. Enter heartily upon 
this warfare. 

How is it as regards earthly things ? 
Who are those who succeed in the world, 
who win, who gain the prize ? The Strong 
Man, who gives himself vigorously to his 
work ; the Student, who reads and studies 
that he may outstrip his fellows ; the daunt- 
less Sailor, who defies the storm, at the risk 
of his life runs up the rigging to obey his 
Captain's orders ; the Soldier, who at the 
sound of the bugle rushes from the trenches, 
springs into the deadly breach, and fights 
his way on and on, till his flag waves in 
victory above the smoke of battle. 

And so, it is the Christian who is earnest 
in faith, and strong in prayer, who wins the 
battle of the Lord. " The kingdom of 
heaven suffereth violence, and the violent 
take it by force." 

My other direction is this — Whatever 
special work you engage in, remember that 



A DAILY STRUGGLE, 219 

you need a strengtJi better than your own ; 
and that strength will be granted, if only 
you apply for it. Are you anxious to do 
some good to others, to win a brother's soul, 
or to comfort a mourner's heart? Do you 
want to overcome some one of your own evil 
habits, to destroy some sin, or to obtain 
some Christian grace ? Never set about it 
as if you had power of your own to accom- 
plish the work. This would be making the 
weapons of your warfare carnal. But rather 
throw yourself simply on God, and ask Him 
to work with you, and in you, by his Al- 
mighty power. 

Such are the directions that I would give 
you. And may God enable you to act upon 
them, and thus to do greater things than 
you have ever yet done in His name ! 



CHAPTER XVI. 

THE CHRISTIAN LIFE, A LIFE OF JOY. 

We know, all of us I suppose, what joy 
is ; and we have all tasted it in some shape 
or other. Who is there that cannot call to 
mind some event in his past life, when he 
was for a time unusually happy, and his 
heart was filled with joy? But observe, this 
may be, without there being a spark of re- 
ligion in our souls. For the joy I am 
speaking of is a mere natural joy — mere 
earthly joy — it is quite different from that 
higher joy which is so often spoken of in 
Scripture. 

I have sometimes heard people say, that 
there is no joy but in religion. If they mean 
there is no true joy, no lasting joy, then I 
agree with them. But if they mean that the 
unconverted man can never feel happy, I 
think that they are mistaken. For there is 
a joy which the world gives, and which per- 
haps you and I have often felt; and it is 
(220) 



A LIFE OF JOY. 221 

folly to deny it. Why, David draws a pict- 
ure of earthly happiness, even in the case 
of an ungodly man, when he describes him 
as " prospering in the world," and " spread- 
ing himself like a green bay tree." 

I think that it will be useful to us, and 
interesting also, first to trace some of the 
peculiar features which mark the Christian's 
joy, and then show its difference from 
worldly joy. 

I. Spiritual joy comes direct from God. 
He alone can give it. 

The happiness of worldly persons comes 
from what is around them. If their circum- 
stances in life are prosperous, they are 
happy. If they enjoy health, and freedom 
from pain and anxiety ; if they meet with 
no opposition or unkindness ; if all goes 
smoothly ; then they are happy, it may be. 

But the Christian's happiness is not 
bound up in these things. It is not acci- 
dental happiness. It does not depend on 
circumstances. But it comes straight from 
God. It is His blessed gift to His own 
people. It is spoken of as " the joy of the 
Lord." Christ calls it "His joy, His peace." 



222 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

This was His farewell legacy to His people, 
" peace I leave with you ; my peace I give 
unto you ; " and, again, " These things have 
I spoken unto you that my joy might remain 
in you, and that your joy might be full." 

And yet we are almost surprised to hear 
Christ speaking of His joy. For was He 
not a " man of sorrows ? " Was not His life 
one of toil and tears ! Where then is the 
joy of which He speaks, and which He 
prays that we may have as our portion ? 
Are burdens, insults, sorrows, persecutions, 
crucifixions, joys ? 

Truly He was u acquainted with grief," as 
regards His outward condition. But there 
was within a deep well of love and joy 
which never failed. He delighted in His 
suffering errand. It is true, He was often 
grieved at the hardness of men's hearts. It 
is true, He was sometimes hungry, and 
thirsty, and weary ; but He had " meat to 
eat," which men knew not of. 

And so it is with His people. He calls 
upon them to cut off right hands, and pluck 
out right eyes, and deny and crucify them- 
selves, and be poor in spirit, and bear the 
cross after Him. And what joy, it may be 



A LIFE OF JOY. 223 

asked, is there in this ? How can the Chris- 
tian Life be called a life of joy ? Ah, but 
there is such a thing as " dying, and behold 
we live ; as chastened, and not killed ; as 
sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as having 
nothing, and yet possessing all things." The 
Christian can look up, and thank God that 
there is in his soul a fountain of peace, of 
which God Himself is the spring. It comes 
from Him. He is the Author and Giver 
of it. 

2. Spiritual joy has God for its object. 
Not only is He the bestower of it, but He 
is the great object of the Believer's delight. 

We are disposed to look here, and there, 
and everywhere for happiness. Like the 
restless Bee, we try one flower after another. 
But never can we say of any earthly thing, 
" Here will I dwell. Here I find that which 
satisfies me." 

Very different is it with the Christian. 
He too, perhaps, has made many a fruitless 
search ; but he has found peace at last. He 
has found it in Christ. He rests his weary 
soul in the Saviour's bosom, and he is 
happy. He feels, " They may take away my 
worldly goods. My friends may forsake me. 



224 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

They may persecute me, bear false witness 
against me, take away my character. But 
they cannot rob me of my blessed hope ; 
they cannot part me from my Saviour." 

If, then, you ever feel uncomfortable and 
restless, do not imagine that you would be 
better anywhere else than where you are, or 
better under any other circumstances. Do 
not pitch upon this or that object, and fancy 
that if you had it, it would bring you happi- 
ness. Do not say, " Who will show me any 
good ? " but rather say, " Lord, lift Thou up 
the light of Thy countenance upon me." 
Look upwards to Him, from whom alone 
real peace comes, " that so among the 
sundry and manifold changes of the world 
your heart may surely there be fixed, where 
true joys are to be found." 

It may happen sometimes that you open 
your Bible, and get little or no good. You 
may turn to religious friends, but there is no 
comfort there. You may even come to 
God's house, and find it but a barren wilder- 
ness. But go to God Himself. Go to the 
Saviour. Rest your soul upon Him ; and 
you are sure to find peace. " I will go," 
said the Psalmist, " unto the altar of God, 



A LIFE OF JO Y. 225 

unto God, my exceeding joy." Christ is 
" our peace." " The Lord is my portion, 
saith my soul." 

3. This spiritual joy lasts. Can this be 
said of earthly joy ? No, we may have it to- 
day ; but we cannot reckon upon it to-mor- 
row. It is like the summer's sun, which 
often disappears as soon as we begin to bask 
in its warmth. Our mind is bent on it for 
weeks and months. At last we obtain it, 
and our heart is content. But how long 
does it remain ? Perhaps it is soon taken 
away again. Or, if it remains, we discover 
that it does not give us the pleasure we 
expected. And then we turn to some- 
thing else, in the hope of finding enjoyment 
in it. 

But the joy we are now speaking of, when 
once it enters the soul, remains there. We 
can reckon upon it as our own. Yes, once 
gain this prize, and it becomes yours. It 
may for a time be damped, and smothered 
in the soul ; but there it is, planted there 
by the hand of God Himself. Satan may 
disturb it now and then. Sometimes it is 
so weak within us, that it is hardly felt. 
But nothing can steal it away from that 
15 



226 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

heart which God has blest. " Your joy no 
man taketh from you." 

4. It is unselfish. Worldly joy, on the 
other hand, too often has self for its centre. 
What flatters, and pleases, and exhalts self, 
is what alone rejoices the worldly heart. 
But the Christian's joy has its centre in God. 
He finds delight in God's service. He re- 
joices when God is honored. And he 
takes pleasure, too, in the welfare and hap- 
piness of others. 

The Saviour seems to have found His 
chief joy in doing good, in relieving the 
sick, in comforting the mourner, and in sav- 
ing souls. And we are told that a thrill of 
delight is felt by the very host of heaven 
when a lost sheep is received, and brought 
home to the fold. Such, too, is the Chris- 
tian's joy. It is unselfish. To see his 
Father honored — to see his fellow-men 
saved and happy — this brings the purest 
joy to his soul. 

5. A fifth feature in this joy is that it de- 
pends but little on outward thing's. 

Think of those who lived in the days of 
the Apostles. There was everything in 
their case to cast them down. All out- 



A LIFE OF JOY. 227 

ward things were against them. But there 
was that within them which enabled them 
to rejoice in their tribulation. Instead of 
being filled with alarm and sadness, they 
were " filled with joy and with the Holy 
Ghost." So it was in all their persecu- 
tions ; they rejoiced that they were counted 
worthy to suffer shame for the Saviour's 
name. See how they bore their troubles 
at Philippi. What do we hear under those 
prison walls ? Is it the dismal sound of 
moaning and distress ? No, we hear amid 
the clank of chains the voice of joy and 
gladness, the song of thankfulness and 
praise. Again, it is said of others, that 
" they took joyfully the spoiling of their 
goods, knowing in themselves that they had 
in heaven a better and an enduring sub- 
stance." Think of the Martyrs, too, who in 
later times suffered so nobly, so patiently, 
so cheerfully, for Christ's sake. They wel- 
comed the very flames that took away their 
lives. How was this ? Were they not filled 
with a joy from heaven, which man could 
not take from them ? 

And I would ask you if you know what 
Christian joy is ? When have you felt hap- 



228 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

piest? When have you drunk deepest of 
this heavenly joy? Not perhaps when 
prosperity has shone full upon you ; but in 
some hour of trial, when the world was 
nothing to you, but God was everything. 
Then you felt the Saviour near you ; you 
saw religion to be a real thing ; your heart 
leapt with joy; you experienced a happi- 
ness which you cannot describe. 

6. Once more. This joy is often most felt 
in the hour of death. 

How remarkable ! For then it is that 
our earthly joys utterly fail us. When the 
worldling is forced to part with his friends, 
and his possessions — when life is ebbing 
fast — what is left for him ? Alas ! nothing. 
Oh, what a gloomy prospect ! No wonder 
that such persons should look upon Death 
as " the king of terrors," and should shrink 
from the very thought of it. 

But how is it with one who knows and 
loves Christ? There is a peace and joy in 
his soul, which neither sickness, nor pain, 
nor even death, can weaken. He is happy ; 
for he " knows whom he has believed." He 
feels that he is near his home, that he is soon 
going to u enter into the joy of his Lord." 



A LIFE OF JOY. 229 

If we could have stood by St. Peter, or 
St. Paul, or St. Stephen, or "the disciple 
whom Jesus loved," in their dying hour, I 
suppose we should have found them happy, 
very happy in the love of Christ, in the 
comfort of the Holy Ghost, in the hope of 
heaven. 

But are true Christians, then, always hap- 
py in a dying hour? No, I think not — not 
always. They have enough to make them 
happy. They have the spring of joy within 
them. But the waters do not always flow. 
The brightest Christian is not without his 
trials ; and sometimes his bitterest trials, 
his darkest days, come at the close. Some- 
times — we know not why — but sometimes 
the Christian's evening is stormy and over- 
cast. It seems as if the Saviour were no 
longer near him. The peace he once felt is 
gone, when he most desires to have it. But 
has the Saviour left His servant? Is his 
joy forfeited ? Oh, no. That loving Friend 
is by his side, though he knows it not, and 
is ready to fill his soul with a full flood of 
joy, if not now, at all events when it takes 
its happy flight from this earthly prison. 

Let our prayer be that the close of our 



230 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

life may be peaceful and joyous. But if 
God should, for some wise reason, deny us 
this, still let us remember that " light is 
sown for the righteous/' and that, although 
" weeping may endure for a night," joy is 
sure to " come in the morning." 

We have seen then that this joy is the 
Christian's portion. It belongs to us, if we 
are God's people. I do not say that we 
shall always have it. I do not say that one 
Christian partakes of it as richly as another. 
No, a hundred things may hinder the feel- 
ing of joy in our hearts. But seek for it. 
Pray that it may be yours. The Christian 
Life ought to be a happy life. And if it is 
not so with us, then most likely there is 
something wrong. It ought, I say, to be a 
r most happy life; for what are the stages in 
it ? There is the joy of Conversion, the hap- 
py feeling of being brought nigh to God. 
There is the joy of Forgiveness ; thus we 
pray, " Grant, merciful Lord, to Thy faith- 
ful people pardon and peace!' There is the 
joy of Adoption, the feeling that He is our 
Father and our Friend. There is the joy of 
Faith, " joy and peace in believing." There 



A LIFE OF JOY. 231 

is the joy of an humble child-like Trust, know- 
ing that we are in His safe hands. There 
is the joy of a Holy Walk with God. I will 
say nothing now of " the joy that is set be- 
fore us" of that " fulness of joy" which is 
at God's right hand, and of those pleasures 
which " are for evermore." 

When I speak of the Christian's life be- 
ing a happy one, I do not mean merely 
that it leads to bliss hereafter, but that it is 
a happy life now. Let us then " lift up the 
hands which hang down, and the feeble 
knees." Let us not live as bond-slaves, but 
as the Lord's freemen. Let us not be al- 
ways sighing as we journey heavenward ; 
but let us " go on our way rejoicing." May 
God's promise be abundantly fulfilled to us, 
" The ransomed of the Lord shall return, 
and come to Zion with songs and everlast- 
ing joy upon their heads. They shall ob- 
tain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sigh- 
ing shall flee away. 






CHAPTER XVII. 

THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IN HEAVEN. 

Fifty years hence, where shall you and 
I be ? We shall probably have passed away 
from this world. Our places will be filled 
by others. Our houses will be occupied by 
other tenants. Another set of faces will 
be seen in our village or our town. 

Where shall we be ? In our graves, you 
will say. Yes, our bodies will be there, but 
not our souls. They can never die. They 
are immortal. Those who have lived here 
without God, and without hope, will be 
living still without Him, and hopelessly 
banished from His presence. But those of 
us who have been living that Christian life 
— that spiritual life — of which I have spoken 
so often in the foregoing chapters — they 
will be still living that very same life which 
was begun here, but which will then be 
perfect and unbroken through eternity. 
(232) 



THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IN HE A VEN 233 

The Christian Life in Heaven — this is the 
closing subject of my Book. 

my God, if no good has been received 
from any of these chapters, bless this at 
least to the Reader. Or, if Thou hast made 
them useful to any one, oh grant a double 
blessing to these remaining words. 

1 shall speak of the Christian life in 
Heaven, 

I. As a life of Service. 
II. As a life of Holiness. 

III. As a life of Happiness. 

IV. As a life of a blessed Companionship. 
V. As a life of Endless Duration. 

L The Christian Life in Heaven is a life 
of Service. 

When St. John speaks of the happy 
world above, he says, " There shall be no 
more curse ; but the throne of God and 
the Lamb shall be in it : and His servants 
shall serve Him!' Blessed be God, He 
allows us now to serve Him. If we are 
His people, our delight is to do His will. 
But oftentimes, when the spirit is willing, 
the flesh is sadly weak. Oftentimes we 



234 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

grieve to think that our hands are so feeble, 
and our hearts so cold. Our zeal flags. 
Our desires are checked. We grow faint 
and weary in well-doing. But in heaven 
there will be no sins to hinder us, and no 
infirmities to weaken us. 

Imagine what the service of the Angels 
must be. How readily and cheerfully they 
obey the summons of their Lord. Is there 
work to be done ? Their language is, 
" Here am I, Lord, send me." Is there 
some relief to be given, some comfort to be 
carried, to one of God's suffering people ? 
Their delight is to be the messengers and 
carriers of His mercy. "Are they not all 
ministering spirits, sent forth to minister to 
them who shall be heirs of salvation ? " 
We know not how they help us ; but they 
do help us : and not one is ever backward 
to perform his errand. 

Now, this may give us some idea of the 
spirit in which our work will be done in 
heaven. We know not what that work 
will be ; but this we know, that God will 
ever have some holy, happy work for His 
people to perform. We shall enter upon 
our rest ; and yet rest not day nor night. 






THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IN HE A VEN. 235 

Our labors will be at an end ; and yet we 
shall labor still. There will be work to do 
in God's Church above. There will be a 
choir of heavenly singers ; and every voice 
and every heart will be in tune. There 
will be a glorious band of worshippers ; and 
their thoughts will never wander, or their 
devotions flag. We shall be employed to 
carry out God's will in ways that we have 
no idea of now. Some think that many of 
those glittering stars we see are filled with 
inhabitants. And perhaps God may have 
a message of mercy for us to carry to those 
worlds. Who knows ? Who can say 
what blessed work the Lord may have in 
store for His gathered ones in heaven ? 
This we know, that the Christian Life 
there will be one of Service. 

II. It will also be a life of Holiness. 
God's command to us now is, " Be ye holy, 
for I am holy;" "Be ye followers of God 
as dear children ; " " Be ye therefore perfect, 
as your Father in heaven is perfect." But 
how miserably small is the degree of holi- 
ness which any of us reach ! There are 
times when we grow, like plants in the 



236 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

garden of the Lord. We advance in grace, 
under the fostering care of the heavenly 
Husbandman. But how constantly is our 
growth checked. How often are our leaves 
withered, and our blossoms nipped. How 
often does the cold blast of temptation fall 
upon us, and drive us back from the point 
which we had gained. " Not, as though I 
had already attained, either were already 
perfect " — this is the constant complaint of 
the holiest Christian. 

But in heaven it will be very different. 
We shall carry no body of sin with us 
there. Flesh and blood cannot enter there. 
There will be no more curse, no evil, no 
corruption, no infirmity, in that unfallen 
world. We shall all bear the image of 
God : we shall all be like Christ. Our love, 
which is now so feeble, will be strong. Our 
faith, which is now so mixed with unbelief, 
will be pure and perfect. Our humility, 
which is often so spoilt by the creeping in 
of pride, will be the humility of a lowly 
but rejoicing heart. To know the will of 
God, to feel that our wills are in complete 
harmony with His, and to be ever doing not 
our will, but God's — this will be our delight. 



THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IN HE A VEN 237 

Tell me, are you not constantly made sad 
by the risings of a sinful nature within you ? 
When you would do good, evil is present 
with you. Are you not often reminded 
that you are still a prisoner here, " tied and 
bound by the chain of your sins ? " Ah, 
the prison-door will soon be thrown open. 
Your prison-dress will soon be laid aside. 
You will soon pass through the outer ward. 
You will soon breathe a purer air. You 
will soon gain your liberty, " the glorious 
liberty of the children of God." When the 
King comes in to see His guests, there will 
be none, not one, that has not on the wed- 
ding garment. " These are they which 
came out of great tribulation, and have 
washed their robes, and made them white 
in the blood of the Lamb." " They are 
without fault before the throne of God." 

III. But let us think of the life in 
heaven as one of Happiness. Holiness and 
happiness are twins ; they cannot be parted. 
Where there is holiness, there must be happi- 
ness. 

There are many questions concerning 
heaven which we cannot answer. Where 



238 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

will it be} We cannot tell you ; for God 
has not revealed it. It may be far away in 
some distant planet. It may be here in 
this very world of ours, purified and fitted 
for our eternal residence. What shall we be 
like in heaven ? What language shall we 
speak ? We know not ; and never shall we 
know, till we reach our Father's presence. 
Never till then shall we know where heaven 
is, or what it is. Nor does it matter. For 
if God spared not His own Son to redeem 
us nothing will be wanting to make us 
supremely happy. The Home of the Re- 
deemed, the House of " many mansions," 
the Palace of the Great King, has joys 
which eye hath never seen before, nor ear 
heard, and which it hath not entered into 
the heart of man to conceive. 

Who can tell the blessedness of a ran- 
somed soul when it reaches heaven ? We 
read that " to die is gain " — not shall be gain 
at some future time, after a certain delay — 
but to die is gain, immediate gain. There 
is but one step, and the soul is in glory. 
Before the sounds of mourning have sub- 
sided in the chamber of death, the song of 
the upper sanctuary has begun. There is 



THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IN HEA VEN 239 

no delay — no waiting for an escort to con- 
duct us along that untrodden path. On 
angels' wings, in angels' arms, Lazarus is 
borne to Abraham's bosom. The pardoned 
thief was that day " with Christ in paradise." 

What makes God's people unhappy here 
on earth ? What brings a cloud now and 
then over the brightness of our sunny life ? 
What makes the rejoicing heart sometimes 
fall back into sadness. The presence of 
sin : but there shall be no more there. The 
assaults of the Tempter: but he cannot reach 
us there. Doubts and misgivings as to our 
acceptance : but there shall be no more 
then. The trials of life : but they will be 
ended. Affliction, pain, sickness : but these 
will be unknown. 

There is another thing too which some- 
times distresses us ; and that is our igno- 
rance. There are some things in God's 
word which we cannot understand, and 
many of the dealings of His providence 
perplex us. Now we see but dimly, as 
through a glass ; but soon we shall see 
clearly. " Now I know in part, but then 
shall I know even as I am known." 

Who can tell the exceeding joy of having 



240 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

all cleared up ; every mystery made plain ; 
every tangled thread unravelled ? What a 
blessed study will the past be — to look 
along the whole line that we have travelled 
since our birth, and not only to see how, 
step by step, the Lord has led us ; but also 
why He led us in the way He did ; why He 
thwarted our plans here, and made them 
succeed there ; why He directed us to one 
place, rather than another; why He ap- 
peared to prosper us at one time, and to 
chasten us at another; why He sometimes 
seemed to be our Enemy, rather than our 
Friend. It will be joy indeed, when our 
minds are capable of taking all this in, when 
" we shall know even as we are known." 

But does not this tell us that there is a 
lesson for us now to learn ? When you 
read God's Word, remember the feebleness 
of your knowledge, and that there are many 
depths which you cannot fathom. Be 
thankful for what is plain, and leave what 
is difficult to be cleared up in heaven. The 
Holy Spirit will meanwhile teach you all 
that you need to know, if you earnestly ap- 
ply for His gracious help. 

Try and feel the same too with regard to 



THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IN HEA VEN. 241 

the Lord's dealings with you. Be patient, 
O child of God ; be submissive to thy 
Father's will. Accept His darkest dispen- 
sations cheerfully, thankfully, without a 
murmur. " Be still, and know that He is 
God." Wait a moment, and the shadows 
will flee away, and all will be clear. What 
thou knowest not now, " thou shalt know 
hereafter." 

IV. Our life in heaven will be a life of 
blessed Companionship. " We shall be ever 
with the Lord " — not only under His care, 
as we are now — not merely near Him, as 
we may be even in this world — but actually 
with Him. This was His promise, " If any 
man serve me, let him follow me ; where I 
am y there shall my servant be! y And this 
was His prayer : " Father, I will that they 
also whom thou hast given me be with 
me where I am." 

Happy were those who walked with Him 
along the plains of Galilee. Happy those 
who were His close companions when He 
dwelt among us. Happy those who shared 
His trials and His joys. Happy those who, 
like Mary, sat at His feet and heard His 
16 



242 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

words. We may well envy them. But we 
shall enjoy a yet higher privilege ; we shall 
be with Him in His own kingdom. 

But we shall have other companions. 
And who will they be ? The angels, who 
have never sinned. The multitude too, 
whom no man can number, of God's saved 
ones, " having their Father's name written 
in their foreheads." 

Such will be our companionship. Are we 
beginning to enjoy it now ? Do we love 
the Saviour ? Are His people dear to us ? 
Are our hearts drawn towards them, the 
holier they are, the more heavenly-minded, 
the more Christ-like ? Are our happiest 
hours those which we spend in the Lord's 
courts, and with His people ? Then we 
have already something of heaven about us. 
We have an earnest of that inheritance 
which will one day be ours. 

V. Once more : The Christian life in 
heaven will be one of Endless Duration. 
Everything about this world is fleeting, 
changing, temporary : everthing about the 
future world is fixed, lasting, endless. " If 
the tree falls towards the south, or towards 






THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IN HE A VEN 243 

the north, in the place where the tree 
falleth, there it shall be." Whatever por- 
tion is ours, it will be unchangeable, eternal. 
" He that is unjust " now will be " unjust 
still ; " and " he who is filthy " now will be 
" filthy still ; " and " he that is righteous " 
now will be " righteous still." Our state in 
the eternal world will never alter. The 
gnawing worm of conscience will never die : 
the fire of torment will never lose a particle 
of its heat. And so too the joys of heaven 
will be unceasing, always full and always 
new. The pleasures at Christ's right hand 
will be for evermore. 

Oh, the littleness of all earthly things ! 
What is pain for a few weeks or months ? 
What are the pleasures which this world 
makes so much of? What are riches, and 
honors, and greatness ? They are " but for 
a moment," compared with " an eternal 
weight of glory." 

Learn, oh learn it in time — that every- 
thing here is quickly passing- away, and that 
everything in heaven is for ever. To be 
for ever safe — for ever happy — to be for 
ever with those who have been our Chris- 
tian brethren on earth — to meet them again, 



244 THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 

never to be separated — to be ever with the 
Lord Himself — this will be our blessed 
portion, if we are Christ's. 

But are we His ? Have we " passed from 
death unto life ? " Have we " washed our 
robes, and made them white in the blood of 
the Lamb?" Are we children of His 
household, and subjects of His kingdom ? 
Is Heaven already begun in us? I have 
spoken of our life in heaven being one of 
service: are we delighting in the Lord's 
service now ? I have spoken of it as a life 
of holiness : is ours a holy walk now? I 
have spoken of it too as a life of happiness : 
are we already happy in Christ ? Have we 
found peace in Him? Our companionship 
will be with the Lord, and with His saints ; 
are such our companions now ? 

It is a great mistake to look upon heaven 
merely as a place of reward, a sort of new 
life altogether different from this. No, it 
will be our present Christian Life carried on 
and perfected in a better world. It will be 
the transplanting of the fruitful tree to 
another and a richer soil. It will be the 
calling up of the faithful servant to a higher 
and more honored post. 



THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IN HE A VEN 245 

And now I have been graciously per- 
mitted to carry out my purpose, and to 
finish this little Book. Both you and I 
must give an account of it. May we do it 
with joy and not with grief! May the Lord 
bless you, and make you a blessing to 
others ! We shall only be a little while 
longer here. Oh, that our lives may be^ 
happy and useful ! Oh, that our passage 
through this world may be a blessed one, 
and that we may shine hereafter " as the 
brightness of the firmament," and " as the 
stars for ever and ever ! " 






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